Crop Circles

Summary: Sequel to Brotherly Love. Gibbs responds to Tony's sense of humour. Warning: spanking of adult. Don't like? Don't read!

Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just play with them.

A/N: This is part of my 'Lessons' series and builds on a larger plot arc. It takes place later the same day as Brotherly Love and probably won't make much sense unless you read that story first. Thanks to KlairI for suggesting the title for this one.

Warning: This story contains the disciplinary spanking of an adult. If you have a problem with that, click on that 'back' button now. You've been warned.

Tony stepped out of the elevator and headed towards the team's section of the bullpen. Gibbs was, as expected, sitting at his desk, but McGee was nowhere to be seen. More surprisingly, his desk looked like he had already left for the night.

Tony swung his bag off of his shoulder and deposited it on the floor beside his desk and dumped his jacket on his chair before turning towards his boss with a raised eyebrow.

'I don't think the old lady across the street is going to be very useful, Boss. I went over her description with her again, and...'

'Doesn't matter now, DiNozzo. We know who did it.'

Tony stared at him, a bit surprised that the case had been broken so easily, a bit put out that it had been done in his absence, and more than a bit miffed that nobody had bothered to call and tell him that at any point during his interminable conversation with a witness who made Ducky seem concise.

'The boyfriend turned himself in to Metro. Full confession.'

Tony blinked, not really believing that it had been so simple.

'And that's it?'

'For now. We can't do anything until we talk to him, but it sounds pretty straightforward. Metro's not transferring him to our custody until the morning, so I sent McGee home.'

He blinked again, surprised that Gibbs wasn't raising hell about the local LEOs interfering with his investigation.

'Tomorrow? And you...'

'...can't file the paperwork until tomorrow anyway, and didn't feel like getting into a pissing contest with Metro over something that won't make any difference. If they want to do our babysitting for us, let them.'

'Uh... okaaaaay,' he began, still not entirely convinced that the Gibbs he knew had ceded the symbolic victory. Deciding that his boss must have his reasons, whether he intended to share them or not, he turned back towards his desk and reached for his recently-discarded coat. 'I'll just head home myself, then.'

'No.'

Tony froze. That tone of voice was never a good sign. He looked up, not sure he wanted the answer to his unasked question. Gibbs was already on his feet and heading towards the stairs.

'My place. Half an hour. Do not be late.'

The meaning behind the words thrown so casually over his boss's shoulder was unmistakeable.

But, as he frantically searched his brain, the reason for them eluded him. He couldn't remember disobeying any orders lately. He hadn't been reckless. Hell, he couldn't think of any way that he could have been reckless during this fairly routine, and unusually short, investigation. His paperwork was up to date. He hadn't even been late getting in this morning.

So what the hell did Gibbs think he had done now?