Hiding in Plain Sight: 6/21
Oct. 21st, 2008 06:54 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xantheficTitle: Hiding in Plain Sight: Part Six
Author: Xanthe
Fandom: SGA/NCIS crossover
Pairings: Gibbs/DiNozzo, John/Rodney, Carson/Caldwell, Teyla/Ronon, Ziva/McGee, and some other pairings that would spoil the story if I revealed them. Gibbs/Ducky friendship.
Rating: NC17 for explicit BDSM sex (m/m slash, femslash and het) and spanking.
Author's Notes
Summary: When a serial killer murders three marines on Atlantis, NCIS are called in to investigate. However, their arrival brings complications for everyone – revealing a lie, a prophecy, a secret and a nemesis.
Part Six: “Tony, I bet there isn’t a universe out there where a Gibbs doesn’t feel the need to slap a DiNozzo upside the head,”
Hiding in Plain Sight
By Xanthe
Part Six
Tony lay in his bed, staring morosely at the ceiling. He'd spent the past three hours tossing and turning, and had no expectation of ever getting to sleep. He'd masturbated twice but that hadn't helped either.
It actually physically *hurt* knowing that Gibbs was lying in bed in the room next to his, so close at hand and yet perpetually out of reach. He had spent the past two nights tormenting himself with fantasies of Gibbs creeping into his room and putting a rough hand over his mouth, then pinning him to the bed and fucking him senseless until morning. In another fantasy, he saw himself tied to Gibbs's massive bed, while his boss teased him with a variety of clamps and floggers. He had fantasies where he was on his knees, arms tied behind his back, taking Gibbs's cock slowly into his mouth; or where he was bent over the balcony railing outside, being slowly fucked by Gibbs from behind as the sea breeze caressed them both. Or there was the one where Gibbs just held him down and kissed him, slowly, sweetly, his hands keeping Tony's wrists held behind his back while he plundered his mouth lovingly with his tongue.
There were other fantasies too – and those were the ones that weren’t satisfied by masturbation, and which prevented him sleeping. He could see himself walking at Gibbs’s side, his trusted lieutenant and life-partner, and that was never a fantasy he’d had about any top before. He longed for the easy intimacy that went beyond sex and was about companionship and love. He wanted Gibbs to talk to him and confide in him; but mainly, he just wanted to be close to the man.
He had fantasies about sitting on his top’s couch in the evening and watching a movie with him; about taking a walk along a beach with him, hand in hand; or living in his house and working on that stupid damn boat with him, sharing a beer and making Gibbs laugh. God how he loved the sound of Gibbs’s laugh – and it was such a rare sound that he tried to provoke it out of Gibbs as often as he could. Gibbs was too serious, and had the air of a man who had loved and lost too much in his life. Tony wanted to ease that pain away and make Gibbs see how good it could be to have a sub he loved in his life and in his bed again.
The fantasies were endless, and having the object of them lying in the next door room was too much for Tony. At least back at home they were separated by a ten minute car ride. Here…well, here he got to see Gibbs in his bathrobe first thing in the morning, and he had to sleep in the room next to him, knowing that Gibbs was lying naked just a few feet away - so close and yet still so untouchable - and that was almost more than he could stand.
He had thought, when he first took Gibbs's collar, that he could handle it. He had even thought that maybe this was a test of his abilities as a sub – to wait, to worship from afar, to devote himself to someone who might never even so much as kiss him on the lips - although he lived in hope.
He hadn't been in another top's bed since Gibbs had fastened his collar around his neck, and the truth was that hadn't been such a hardship. Sure, he missed sex, but he'd had one hell of a lot of sex before he met Gibbs. There was no point even pretending with another top though – Tony knew that nobody would live up to Gibbs.
How long could he endure being so close to the man though, without being more to him than just one amongst his many subs? He honestly wasn't sure he could take much more of this. He got up, body bathed with sweat, and went to take a shower.
When he got out, he rubbed his damp hair with a towel while peering at himself in the mirror. He looked like crap. He hadn't slept a wink last night, and he hadn't managed to get any sleep tonight, either, and in a few hours time they had to get up and work on this case again. There were dark shadows under Tony's eyes and he was aware of a dull ache in the base of his skull. He knew he needed to sleep but it just wasn't happening so there was no point lying in bed waiting for it.
He dried himself slowly, examining his butt in the mirror. Yesterday, for the first time ever, Gibbs had forgotten to give him his daily spanking. Hell, when they were at home Gibbs would even call him over at the weekend to administer it. He'd missed it a couple of times when he was in the hospital, or working a case away from Gibbs, but Gibbs made sure to mention it to him every day even if it wasn't possible for him to deliver it. Yesterday had been so hectic, from beginning to end, that it seemed to have slipped Gibbs's mind completely, and Tony wasn't happy about that. The marks from the brief strapping he'd received a couple of days ago had now gone, and Tony felt depressed as he surveyed his completely white butt – it was the first time in nearly five years that his ass hadn't had Gibbs's mark on it, and he didn't like the way it looked. The daily spankings might not be much but they were all he had and he treasured them for that reason alone.
He knew what everyone thought of him, and to be fair, the image of himself he projected was one that had once been true. He had been a commitment-phobe, hopping from one top's bed to another, barely able to keep them straight in his mind there were so many of them. He was also an inveterate flirt, and being collared hadn't tempered that inclination in the slightest. He had lost count of the number of times he'd propositioned Gibbs, both privately and in public, and been firmly rebuffed. People expected that of him. They all knew he wanted to bed Gibbs, and were probably equally sure that was ALL he wanted – a fuck buddy, someone he could roll in and out of bed with, no strings attached, no emotions involved. They had no idea of the truth beneath that, and he had no intention that any of them should ever find out - least of all Gibbs.
Tony got dressed and opened up the file of notes he'd made during all the questioning they'd done the previous day. There was only one way he could serve Gibbs right now, and that was to solve this case for him - and if that was the only way he could offer Gibbs his service, then that was what he'd do.
He was ready and waiting three hours later when Gibbs emerged from his room, fully dressed, hair still wet from his shower. Tony handed him a coffee, and waved his notes at him.
"Boss, I want to call Kate Heightmeyer, Rodney Sheppard and Carson Beckett back in for questioning," he said. "I've been going over the notes and I'm still not clear on the timeline. I'm going to pencil in Steven Beckett, and John Sheppard as well – something's niggling me about this and I can't fit it together."
"Okay." Gibbs took the file, and glanced through it as he sipped his coffee. "You sleep okay, DiNozzo?"
"Like a baby, boss," Tony lied. "You?"
"Fine," Gibbs grunted. "Okay – as this is your idea, Tony, and as you're the one with the niggle – you take the questioning. I'll watch."
Tony nodded. He liked it when he and Gibbs worked a case together like this. They bounced off each other, and he loved the way Gibbs's mind worked. The man was a consummate professional and Tony found that exhilarating. Gibbs brought out the best in him, plain and simple.
He decided to call in Kate Heightmeyer first. She was an attractive blonde top, and a respected psychologist.
"Sorry to have to call you in again," he said, smiling his finest boyish smile, with just a hint of subby fawning. Tops always responded to it – well, most tops. Gibbs never had. It had the desired effect on Heightmeyer though; she gave him a fond smile in return.
"That's fine, Agent DiNozzo. I understand that you have a job to do," she told him, looking supremely comfortable.
"And forgive me if I go over some of the ground we covered yesterday – I just want to be clear on some things that I've got kinda muddled about," he said, with another silly smile, as if he was a dopey sub who couldn't get something right unless a top showed him how. That seemed to bring out the dominant in her and she smiled at him like he was a beautiful, much loved, but slightly stupid pet.
"Okay," he said. "You say you didn't see Dr Keller on the night she was murdered?"
"No, I didn't. I was on the mainland and Jenny had to work," she replied.
"But you and Dr Keller were in a relationship weren't you? You were lovers - but Jennifer wanted more commitment from you, didn't she? She was a young sub, quite smitten by a good-looking, older, confident top such as yourself. She even wanted to wear your collar, didn't she?"
"Uh…" Heightmeyer looked as if she’d had the wind completely taken out of her sails by his turn of questioning. Tops were so easy to play. Tony liked the feeling – first lull them into a false sense of security by flirting as subbily as possible, then flip everything on its head and go in for the kill. "Well, it wasn't quite like that. It wasn't a relationship really. We had played together a few times, and I liked her, but I wasn't ready to collar her."
"But she wanted that, didn't she?" Tony asked.
"I don't know." The blonde woman shook her head.
"But you said yesterday that you thought she did," Tony pressed, making a show of checking his notes.
"Well, she had mentioned it, but I didn't take it seriously. Like you said, she was a young sub, a long way from home – I felt she just wanted some security."
"Was that your professional opinion?" Gibbs butted in, from his vantage place by the door. "Or just a personal one?"
"Where does one end and the other begin?" Heightmeyer replied. "Look, she was a nice girl, and I liked playing with her, but there was nothing more to it than that. We weren't in love and I didn't mind her playing with other tops."
"You sure?" Tony asked.
"What are you trying to say? I found her playing with another top and then killed her in a jealous rage?" Heightmeyer asked. "That's absurd. Apart from anything else, Jenny didn't sleep around – and she would have told me if she'd been playing with anyone else."
"Maybe she did tell you," Tony said. "And maybe you didn't like that."
"That's not what happened, Agent DiNozzo," she told him quietly. "And I think you know that. Clutching at straws won't solve your case for you, and Jenny was a lovely woman – she deserves justice."
Gibbs cleared his throat and Tony nodded. "Okay, Dr Heightmeyer. Thank you. We'll call you in again if we need you. You’ve been a great help. We really appreciate it."
He smiled his best subby smile again but she wasn't about to be fooled a second time, and she gave him a sharp look in return. Tony didn't miss the little chuckle Gibbs gave at that as Heightmeyer left the room.
"She's got you figured out, DiNozzo," he told him. "And she didn't kill Jennifer Keller."
"I know," Tony sighed. "But I just wanted to be sure. Jealous lovers are always the number one suspects."
“As a matter of interest,” Gibbs said, a rare grin tugging at the corners of his lips. “Does that little subby trick you just pulled ever work on any of the tops you meet?”
“Oh yeah,” Tony grinned. “Every time.”
“*Every* time?” Gibbs asked, with a raised eyebrow.
“Well, not with you, boss, but with most tops. But then I learned how to play tops at my mom’s knee and you’d be surprised just how predictable you all are.”
“At your mom’s knee?” Gibbs looked startled. “Just how old were you when you discovered your orientation, DiNozzo?”
“I didn’t ever not know, boss. I was born knowing,” Tony shrugged.
Gibbs looked even more surprised by that. Tony wasn’t sure why. He knew it was unusual – most people only figured out their orientation at puberty - but it didn't seem like that big a deal to Tony.
“I could even figure out which of the other kids at school were most likely to end up as dominants or submissives,” Tony said with a shrug. “Got in a lot of early experience playing up to them. I think I peaked too young,” he said with a grin. “Too much, too soon – I had it all figured out while all the other kids were still playing ‘spank-chase’ in the schoolyard. Got into a lot of trouble with my dad, sneaking out to meet much older tops when I was still a kid. I looked older than I was as well which didn’t help.”
“I don’t think any father would be happy with his underage son sneaking out to meet tops he hadn’t been introduced to,” Gibbs commented, and it was reasonable enough but it irritated Tony all the same.
“Oh he wasn’t concerned for my safety,” Tony shrugged. “He just didn’t like me bringing shame on the family name with his business buddies.” His childhood hadn’t been the happiest of times. Gibbs knew that – Tony had never made any secret of it over the years he’d been working with Gibbs.
His parents had been wealthy but self-absorbed; his mother was a beautiful, trophy submissive, who frequently hit the pages of the style magazines, and his father a high-powered businessman. It had been a passionate relationship, full of drunken rows and overblown romantic rapprochements. They had alternately neglected Tony and then showered him with devotion and he’d worshipped and been confused by them in equal measure. Their family life came to a horrible end, overnight, when his mom died in a car accident with her secret lover when he was ten years’ old.
His father’s drinking, always a problem, had spiralled out of control into full-blown alcoholism. He was full of a savage, bitter kind of grief that not only had he lost the beautiful wife he loved, but that she’d been cheating on him when she died. Tony, looking just like her, with the same provocative nature and submissive identification brought out dual emotions of love and anger in him. When he was sober he found it hard to look at his son, and when he was drunk he alternated between clumsy affection and violence.
“I learned a long time ago that dominants are easy to manipulate – it’s the subs who are the smart ones in any dynamic,” Tony said.
“Is that so?” Gibbs’s raised eyebrow looked almost like a challenge, and Tony felt that familiar zinging sensation in his belly. This man, right here, was a top he couldn’t manipulate, the kind of top who’d be strong enough to take him and who’d see through anything less than his total honesty and submission. Tony longed to have a top who’d take him that far down into his own sub-space. He wanted to find out just what his limits were, in the hands of a truly skilful top - the kind who would know if he was bullshitting or feigning charm for his own manipulative purposes.
“Yeah,” Tony said, raising his chin, meeting Gibbs’s challenge with one of his own.
They stared at each other, and the atmosphere in the room seemed suddenly highly charged, almost electric. Tony had the sensation that Gibbs was teetering on the brink, and that in a blink of an eye he might find himself flat on his back on the table, with Gibbs’s hands on his body, claiming him. Then the moment passed; Gibbs looked away, and Tony felt as if he’d been punched in the gut. He turned back to his notes as if nothing had happened and willed himself to get his weary brain working again but he was so tired, and his head was pounding.
Next up, he called in Steven Beckett. The man was a tall and physically imposing submissive and Tony already knew him well from the eighteen days they'd spent on his ship on their way to Atlantis.
"Take a seat, Colonel," he said, brisk and businesslike – no point wasting the subby tricks on another sub. ”The fire onboard the Daedalus – do you know what caused that yet?"
"No, we're still figuring it out," Steven replied. "Why? You think it's related to Dr Keller's murder?"
"I don't know. It just seems like a big coincidence for it to happen on the night she was killed, and, well, I don’t believe in co-incidences.” He shot a look in Gibbs’s direction. “What time did it start?"
"It was found at around 3.30 a.m."
"But you didn't find out about it until 6 a.m. when a marine came to your quarters?" Tony furrowed up his brow.
Steven looked annoyed. "Yes," he replied tersely.
"Why did it take them so long to inform you?"
"My radio was switched off." He looked uncomfortable about that but didn't elaborate.
"Why didn't they send someone to wake you earlier?"
"They could have but Major McClusky was in charge - she's my second-in-command – and she took a view that she could take care of it. They sent someone for me as soon as they got the situation under control."
"What's the security like onboard the Daedalus, Colonel?" Tony asked, sitting back in his chair and surveying the other man intently. Steven shifted, looking annoyed.
"To be honest with you, Agent DiNozzo, I don't think security was all it should have been the night before last," he admitted. "It was our first night back on Atlantis, everyone was excited, and there was only a skeleton detail onboard as so many people were on the mainland attending the festival. I shouldn't have authorised it but my people have been working hard for weeks and…" He spread his hands and sighed.
"You had no reason to believe the Daedalus would be targeted – if, indeed, that's what happened," Gibbs commented, from his vantage point behind Tony's shoulder.
"I know." Steven made a little ticking sound of annoyance in the back of his throat. "But…my preliminary findings suggest that the skeleton staff weren't following protocol as closely as they should have been. Security was lax – no doubt about it."
"So, it's entirely possible that someone could have got onboard and started the fire?" Tony asked.
"Yes. It is." Steven nodded. "Rodney's looking into it but the damage is extensive so it might take awhile to be sure. It might not have been deliberate – it *could* have been an accident – Daedalus is overdue a full maintenance check and she's been on continuous runs for the past few months. Flying between galaxies can place serious strain on a ship – it's possible she had a problem we hadn't detected."
"Okay. Well - let us know when you have some answers," Tony said.
Steven nodded, and unfurled his tall body to leave. "I'm sorry," he said, and the comment was directed more at Gibbs than him, Tony thought. "I screwed up on this one."
Tony supposed that there wasn't a sub in the world who wouldn't look to Gibbs for some kind of reassurance in a situation like this but Colonel Beckett got the same kind of cold Gibbsian comfort all the rest of them got.
“Yes you did,” Gibbs said firmly. “I don’t have a problem with you giving your people the night off, but security protocols should have been followed to the letter.”
The colonel gave a little grimace, but Tony guessed that Gibbs hadn’t said anything to him that he didn’t already know.
General John Sheppard was up next. Tony had liked the general since the moment he first laid eyes on him. He reminded him a bit of Gibbs, only a hell of a lot more laid back. Tony gave him the patented Tony DiNozzo subby smile of supreme flirt as he came in but Sheppard didn't respond. Tony thought he heard Gibbs give a little grunt of amusement at that.
"We estimate the murder took place at around 4.15 a.m., General," he said, launching straight in. "Where were you at that time?"
"I'd just gone to check on Rodney in the lab," Sheppard replied. "He'd heard something and I was worried."
"It's kind of late to be up isn't it?" Tony asked. "Shouldn't both you and your sub have been tucked up in bed at that time?"
His tone was just faintly suggestive – it was intended to be. He had the feeling that this top hid a fierce, dark streak behind that cool exterior and he wanted to needle him out of his comfort zone. Sure enough, Sheppard's eyes flashed at that comment.
"Rodney often works through the night if he's preoccupied with a project – sometimes it's easier to give him his head and let him get it out of his system then take him down later when he needs to rest," Sheppard replied.
Tony felt a jolt of envy that Rodney had a top who understood him so well and knew how to take such good care of him. Then he realised he had that too – but what he didn't have was a top who was in love with him, and John Sheppard was clearly as head over heels in love with his husband as it was possible to be.
"As for me…I just had a bad feeling all through that night," Sheppard said. "Can't explain it but I was sure something bad was going to happen. Felt it in my gut, as Special Agent Gibbs knows." Sheppard glanced over Tony's shoulder at Gibbs.
"So you didn't go to bed at all?" Gibbs asked.
"No." Sheppard shook his head. "And I still didn't catch the bastard doing this. I just wasn't expecting there to be trouble in the infirmary. I was patrolling the marine quarters and keeping an eye on the people coming back and forth from the mainland. All the previous murders took place in marine quarters." Sheppard ran his hand through his unruly dark hair. "I should have gone around the entire base. Poor Jenny – she was just a silly kid. I liked her – once I put her straight on the crush she had on me when she first arrived we got on well. She was like my kid sister or something. Damn it – if only I'd stopped by the infirmary after checking on Rodney!"
"Easy, General," Gibbs murmured. "You couldn't have known."
"What time did you call Rodney?" Tony asked.
"Around 4 a.m. I'd told him to lock the door in his lab when I was there earlier and he had – I saw him do it. When I called him he said he'd heard a noise. I was spooked, so I ran down there…but he was fine."
"How long did you stay?"
"About five minutes – then I went back to the jumper bay."
"Okay – thank you, General."
Tony tried the subby grin again, glancing sideways at the general through his eyelashes, and this time Sheppard's eyes glimmered in recognition. He looked amused for a moment, and then shook his head.
"Don't let Rodney catch you doing that, DiNozzo," he warned. "He has the power of granting you hot or cold water for your shower in the morning and you really don't want to get on the wrong side of him. I did once and ended up running through the hallways in my towel."
"A fine mental image to leave me with, General – thank you for that," Tony said, with an appreciative wink. Gibbs snorted, and Sheppard gave a wry grin and glanced at Gibbs over Tony's shoulder.
"Looks like you have your hands full with that one, Agent Gibbs," he commented. "He must give your strap a few workouts."
"You have no idea," Tony muttered ruefully, as Gibbs gave another amused snort.
Sheppard left, and Tony was about to call in the next person when Gibbs clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"Time to eat," he said.
Was it? Tony didn't feel very hungry but he saw from a glance at his watch that it was already early afternoon and he hadn't had any breakfast.
They walked down to the canteen and Tony felt his headache recede a little as he enjoyed the alone time with Gibbs, just the two of them, with him on the end of Gibbs's leash. He imagined what it would be like to do this all the time – to walk into the cafeteria and pile up just one plate, bring it back to the table and have Gibbs feed him with his own fork. Then he shook himself. Sharing–a-plate fantasies were the lowest of the low – only really dumb subs or the subs in the worst kind of romantic movies ever spent their time dreaming of sharing a plate with a top. It wasn't something he'd ever wanted for himself, either, before he met Gibbs.
They saw Abby, sitting at one of the tables, talking excitedly to Rodney Sheppard, while Colonel Lorne sat opposite, gazing at them with a bemused if goofy smile on his face. Carson was sitting next to Lorne, trying, unsuccessfully, to engage him in conversation and John Sheppard was sitting opposite Rodney, not saying a great deal but feeding his sub from their shared plate whenever Rodney shut up for long enough to eat. Tony felt another of those stabs of envy at seeing Rodney and John Sheppard sharing a plate. He wondered what the hell a powerful top like Sheppard saw in Rodney. The scientist was attractive in his own way, sure, and he certainly had very wide, very blue eyes, but he also had an irascible edge to him that Sheppard seemed to allow to go unchecked.
Tony wondered how Gibbs would handle a sub as obviously volatile, frenetic and brilliant as Rodney Sheppard and decided that Rodney would wilt within seconds – very few subs were brave enough to withstand Gibbs's sharp eyed gaze for long. On the other hand…General Sheppard didn't look like the kind of top who put up with much bullshit either, so maybe Rodney was made of stronger stuff than he seemed.
Abby saw them and waved them over so they took their trays and went to sit with her and her new friends.
"Gibbs – I found out that Carson can sign too!" she said, signing with her hands as she spoke. "Isn't that cool?"
Carson grinned, and signed something at Abby, who signed back.
"My little brother was deaf," Carson explained. "Nobody was sure why – we made lots of trips to the hospital when I was a kid – I think that's when I first became interested in medicine. Anyway, the whole family learned to sign – and there were seven of us kids plus mum and dad so sometimes we'd have these great big silent conversations around the dinner table."
"You know…I've always wondered how you know how to sign, Gibbs," Tony said. "I mean, Abby has a deaf mom and Carson has a deaf brother. How about you?"
Gibbs glanced at him sideways, his expression as inscrutable as ever, and then he signed something at Abby and Carson who both laughed. Tony rolled his eyes - there were many things about Gibbs that he found fascinating and this was one of them, but his boss never gave away anything personal. It was frustrating.
Tony switched off while Abby chattered away excitedly. His head felt as if it was full of lead, and he was sure he was missing something obvious about the case. He rubbed the base of his skull, absently, wishing he could shift the knots he felt there, wanting to get his fingers right in and rub the sore spots away.
He vaguely heard Abby and Rodney talking – most of it made no sense so he could see why Lorne was looking so bemused. Sheppard just sat there with a fond smile on his face as if he was used to this.
"You know…sometimes I get all excited about this stuff Rodney is showing me and then I remember that that poor girl was killed and I feel bad about it," Abby said.
"Jenny Keller was a nice woman," General Sheppard said softly. Rodney glanced up sharply.
"She had a thing for John," he said. "Like half the subs on the base." He didn't seem happy about that but General Sheppard just rolled his eyes and placed another forkful of food in Rodney's mouth.
"Aren't you upset she's dead?" Abby asked him.
"Mmm, the thing is…" Rodney said, with his mouth full of food, "I've found a way of handling it when people die – and they seem to die a lot out here, what with the Wraith and the dangerous missions and everything. So…you remember I told you about that other universe John and I were sucked into a few months ago? The one where nobody knew their dynamic and they had all those weird taboo issues about same gender relationships?"
Abby nodded, and Tony wondered what the hell they were talking about.
"Well…when I first arrived out here a few years ago there was a scientist on my team called Zelenka. He was good – not as brilliant as me of course but then who is? Anyway, he and I…well, I suppose we'd kind of been friends but then he went and got himself killed at the end of our first year out here and I was pretty cut up about it." Rodney glanced at his husband, who nodded in agreement.
"But the thing is, Abby – when we got sucked over to that other universe Zelenka wasn't dead over there. He was still alive! And I got to see him again, and talk to him and work with him." Rodney's face looked animated as he spoke about this Zelenka person, and Tony found himself interested, despite himself. "So now, when something happens like it did with Jenny Keller – I just think that in that other universe, with the other John and Rodney and Carson and so on – well, Jenny's probably still alive in that universe, living her life, being happy." He shrugged and accepted another forkful of food from his husband.
"Oh that is so cool!" Abby exclaimed. "It's like nobody ever really dies!"
"'xactly!" Rodney said, around his mouthful of food.
Tony couldn't even begin to process that. His head hurt too much. He pushed his food around his plate, until he noticed Abby watching him, a worried look in her green eyes.
He pulled himself together and sat up – the last thing he wanted was for Gibbs to notice he wasn't eating.
"They should make a movie about that universe," he said with a grin. "Although from the sound of it nobody'd believe it. I can just see the casting – Tom Cruise could play the general here, and Nic Cage could play Dr Sheppard."
"Ooh – could I be in it?" Abby said, clapping her hands. "Who could play me? And who could play you, Tony?”
Tony grinned at her. "Nobody’s cute and crazy enough to play you, Abs. And of course nobody's cool enough to play me - or scary enough to play the boss."
A second later felt a familiar smack on the back of his head. “Hey – do you suppose in that universe Dr Sheppard’s talking about the boss here doesn’t slap his team around the head whenever he’s pissed with them?” he asked, gazing warily at Gibbs in case another one was coming his way.
“He wouldn’t – not in that universe,” Rodney said, with a firm shake of his head. “Trust me. I met those people and they definitely didn’t do anything like that.”
“Hear that, boss,” Tony said. “They sound quite enlightened over in this other universe of Dr Sheppard’s.”
Gibbs shook his head. “Tony, I bet there isn’t a universe out there where a Gibbs doesn’t feel the need to slap a DiNozzo upside the head,” he said and there was something kind of fond about the way he said it that made Tony glow a bit inside.
He grinned, and made a series of jokes about movies that got people laughing and, hopefully, distracted everybody from the fact that he hadn't eaten anything.
He was relieved when they could return to the interrogation room and resume their questioning. He felt as if he was looking at a jigsaw puzzle and one very obvious piece was missing; if they could just find it, it would make sense of the whole picture.
He called in the nurse, Ellie Marsh, next but it was clear the poor woman wasn't going to be much help. She'd found Keller's body at around 6 a.m. when she'd reported for duty at the infirmary and she'd tried to call Dr Beckett on his radio. When there was no response she had fled to Beckett's room to get him.
Next he called in Rodney Sheppard. He was aware that he was developing something of a dislike for the other sub but he wasn't sure why. He was too tired to know whether it was a genuine gut instinct, or just sheer envy for the obvious love that John Sheppard had for his husband. Rodney didn’t have to hide his love for his top the way Tony did – it was reciprocated, fully and without reservation.
"What I don't understand is why we didn't manage to get visuals on any of the murders," Tony said to Rodney. "I mean, this place is full of equipment – you'd think one of the cameras you have around the place would have picked something up."
"They're not cameras, they're sensory devices," Rodney told him snappily. "And it's not that simple. I admit, I'm surprised that we didn't find anything on the infirmary sensors. Although of course the Daedalus sensors were partially destroyed in the fire so they've told us nothing."
"It is possible the cameras – oh, I'm sorry – sensory devices," Tony stressed the two words with a slightly unnecessary sneer, and watched Rodney start to coil up like a tightly wound spring, "were tampered with?"
"Possible but unlikely. I mean, you'd need a level of knowledge of the base to start with," Rodney frowned.
"And who exactly has that knowledge?" Gibbs asked.
"Apart from you," Tony added, pointedly. Rodney clearly didn't catch the inference.
"Well, anyone working in my department I suppose," he said. "But none of them…I mean, I don't think any of them is a killer. In fact I'm sure of it!"
"Name them," Tony said. Rodney's blue eyes widened.
"What? Why?"
"Just name the people in your department – it can't be hard," Tony said, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms, watching Rodney closely.
"Well…there's me, and uh, well, there was Zelenka but he's gone and Miko – yes, there's Miko – short, Japanese, seems very meek and mild but has three subs and rules them with a rod of iron. And Hargreaves – small sub, always getting in the way. And Mortimer…or is it Morton? Well, there's him – tall, dark-haired, always flirting with any sub who'll give him the time of day which isn't many because he's kind of slimy. And um, the short lady with the grey hair and that switch…what's his name? Um…" He stopped, visibly floundering.
"How many people work in your department, Dr Sheppard?" Tony asked quietly.
"Twelve," Rodney replied promptly.
"And you can only name three of them?" Tony raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were supposed to be a brilliant scientist."
"I am!" Rodney protested. "I'm just not great with names."
"So, how do you know nobody in your department was involved when you don't even know their names?" Tony pressed. Rodney shook his head desperately.
"You don't understand – I know them, of course I know them but as people - not as names!"
"Okay." Tony nodded, and gave Rodney a look made of pure steel, one sub to another, because Rodney might get away with that kind of shit with some idiot top but it didn’t wash with him. Rodney's blue eyes widened even further and, for just a second, Tony thought he understood what a man like General Sheppard might see in this sub. There was something vulnerable about Rodney, although you had to dig deep to find it. "That's all we have for now, Dr Sheppard," he said, with a dismissive nod towards the door.
Rodney left, looking slightly dazed.
Tony felt something bugging him and just wished his head was clear enough to identify it. He needed this – he needed it to show Gibbs just how good he was at his job, to prove it to him, over and over again, so that maybe one day Gibbs would finally see he was worthy of him. If only he could concentrate, and shake off this headache.
He called in Carson Beckett, and the doctor came in, looking nervous.
"Dr Beckett…" He gave the doctor his best subby smile and Carson relaxed, visibly. Tony had an instinctive feel, honed from many sexual encounters over many years, for what kind of a top a person was, and he knew immediately that Carson was one of those kind-hearted tops who took pity on subs and wanted to take care of them. He also sensed that the good doctor was made of a certain kind of steel beneath that, and might not be as easily manipulated as he seemed at first sight. "Can you think of any reason why anyone would want to murder Jenny Keller?"
"No." Carson shook his head emphatically. "She was a dear, sweet girl. We all loved her. She was excellent at her job as well."
"Okay. Now…I want to go over something in the statement you made yesterday. You say that you woke up around 3.45 on the night Jenny was murdered, and you thought you heard and smelled something?"
"Well…I'm not sure," Carson replied, looking troubled. "I did wake up, yes, but maybe I was imagining things. I don't know."
"What kind of smell, Dr Beckett?" Gibbs asked.
"I don't know…look, I'm not even sure I smelled anything!" Carson protested loudly.
Tony winced, the raised tones aggravating his pounding headache. He rubbed his eyes to try and clear them; they felt like they were filled with grit.
“Are you okay, son?" Carson asked softly, and Tony looked up, surprised. "You look terrible if you don't mind me saying. Maybe you should take a wee trip along to my infirmary when you're done here."
"We *are* done here," Gibbs said, suddenly and unexpectedly. "Thank you for your help, Dr Beckett."
He nodded and Carson left, looking relieved to be allowed to go so soon.
"Gibbs!" Tony protested. "We only just called him in! I had more questions to ask him. He was one of the first on the scene when the body was found and…"
"It can wait," Gibbs said tersely, his sharp blue eyes gazing at Tony like two intense lasers, so bright they almost hurt. Tony shut his eyes to relieve the pressure and when he opened them again Gibbs had snapped his leash on his collar and was leading him towards the door.
"Where are we going?" Tony asked.
"Back to our quarters," Gibbs replied. "We're done for the day."
"But it's only the middle of the afternoon!" Tony protested. Gibbs gave him one of those silent glares that shut him up immediately and he followed on behind, wondering what the hell was going to happen.
Their quarters were empty when they got there which wasn’t surprising. Tony knew Ziva and McGee were helping to investigate the Daedalus fire, Abby was busy in her lab with Rodney, and Ducky was taking another look at the corpses.
“My room. Now.” Gibbs gestured with his head in the direction of his bedroom, unleashing Tony as he did so.
Tony sighed, and tried to crack his neck from side to side to release the tension. “I thought we were onto something before you pulled me out of there, boss. Do you think I went too far? Is that why you called me out? If I could just clear my head I’m sure I could figure out what’s bugging me,” he said, making no effort to walk towards the bedroom. Gibbs put a hand on his shoulder and propelled him there, shutting the door behind them.
Tony took one look at the bed and suppressed a yawn. God he felt tired. In other circumstances, he and Gibbs alone in a room with a big bed would have been a cue for him to make a suggestive comment but he was too tired to bother.
“When did you last get any sleep, DiNozzo?” Gibbs asked.
“Last night,” Tony said, warily.
Gibbs’s hand was so fast that Tony didn’t even have an inkling it was coming his way until it connected resoundingly with the back of his head.
“Ow!” he complained.
“I’ll ask again. Don’t lie to me twice,” Gibbs said. “When did you last get any sleep? You were up when I got up this morning, and you were up when I got up yesterday morning. Did you sleep either of those nights?”
Tony did actually consider lying again because this didn’t look good whichever way you looked at it, and he had no intention of telling Gibbs he’d spent two nights – and plenty more before that, on the Daedalus - struggling with the strength of his feelings for his boss.
“No,” he admitted finally.
“Why?” Gibbs came to stand in front of him, and there was just no getting away from that steely gaze.
“I don’t know, boss – I’m just finding it hard to switch off,” Tony muttered, hoping that the half-lie at least would pass muster with his top. He wasn’t sure he had totally convinced Gibbs, but he seemed prepared to let that pass.
“I know a way to switch you off, Tony,” Gibbs said, and Tony glanced up.
“Me too, but it’s never on offer, boss,” he replied. That earned him another light slap on the back of the head although he didn’t miss the amused glint in Gibbs’s eyes either.
“I was too busy to spank you yesterday,” Gibbs told him and Tony groaned out loud. “My mistake. Events ran away from us. I should have taken care of it this morning but you seemed to be on a roll with the case and I didn’t want to interrupt you. Again – my mistake – and not one I’ll make again. Strip. You know the drill.”
Tony sighed. “You really don’t have to do this for me, boss,” he said as he unzipped his pants and toed off his shoes.
“Yes, I do, Tony. I really do,” Gibbs said, sounding amused.
Tony shucked off his pants, leaving them in an untidy heap and then stood there, awaiting further orders.
“I said strip, Tony,” Gibbs ordered, and in the dull recesses of his aching brain Tony finally registered that. Gibbs did occasionally order him to strip completely, but only when he was due one hell of a spanking.
“Oh boss,” he groaned. “Does it have to be that bad?”
“Depends on your definition of ‘bad’, Tony,” Gibbs said. He went over to his night stand, opened the top drawer, and pulled out the strap that Tony loathed so much. “But if you miss a spanking you know you’re due a big one next time. That’s just the way it works.”
“Well, it’s the way you say it works,” Tony muttered. “It doesn’t *have* to work that way. You could change the rules.”
“Can’t do that, Tony,” Gibbs said, with a wry shake of his head. “You depend on ‘em.”
Tony really didn’t think that was the case but he finished undressing and walked stiffly over to the armchair to take his position.
“Not so fast. I’m going to give you a choice,” Gibbs said. Tony stood up, intrigued. This was new; Gibbs never usually gave him a choice. “Ten with the strap, or you take your chances with my hand – no promises for how many you’ll get there though,” Gibbs said.
Tony swallowed. He hated the strap and he’d longed to take a spanking from Gibbs’s hand since he’d first been collared. He wasn’t sure why that was on offer now when it hadn’t been before but he wasn’t going to pass on the opportunity. Besides – Gibbs’s hand, even if he took dozens of swats from it, couldn’t hurt anywhere near as much as the damn strap.
“Your hand. Please, boss,” he said, giving Gibbs his patented DiNozzo subby look through his eyelashes.
“Doesn’t work with me remember, Tony,” Gibbs snorted. “Okay, my hand.” He put the strap down on the nightstand and Tony thought he caught a strange glimmer of amusement in Gibbs’s eye at his choice of implement. What the hell was *that* about? Gibbs sat down on the bed and pulled a pillow over his knees. “Come here.”
Despite his tiredness, his pounding headache, and the knowledge that he was about to be soundly spanked, Tony went over to his top eagerly. He’d fantasised often enough about being over Gibbs’s knees and now he was going to experience it first hand.
He threw himself over Gibbs’s lap with the practised air of a sub who had been in this position many, many times. He knew he looked good, body stretched out, ass positioned right in the centre of the pillow, legs and arms comfortably positioned and supported by the mattress on either side. He relaxed; this was one of his favourite positions and he had no objection to spending a lot of time this way.
He felt Gibbs’s arm go around his waist, and he knew immediately there wasn’t going to be a slow warm-up. He didn’t know why he had expected anything different – when Gibbs spanked he spanked. He didn’t screw around with warm-ups and stroking and all that shit – which happened to be shit that Tony was pretty fond of as it usually presaged a nice, expert play spanking which ended with him getting sexual release. This was NOT going to be one of those spankings.
He didn’t even have time for that realisation to sink in before there was a whistle of air and a sharp smacking sound – and then a blaze of pain ripped across his right buttock.
“Ow! You said you weren’t going to use the strap!” Tony protested, turning his head to glower at his top.
“I’m not,” Gibbs said, nodding in the direction of the nightstand, where, sure enough, the strap was still lying where Gibbs had left it.
“That is never your hand…oh shit…that IS your hand,” Tony said as Gibbs landed another sharp smack to his ass. “Man, you’re evil. When you gave me that choice you *knew*…oh shit…” he didn’t have time to finish his train of thought before Gibbs was spanking him in earnest.
Gibbs’s hand felt like it was made of warm, living iron as it rained down hard blows on Tony’s upturned ass. It hurt more than Tony thought a top’s hand could *ever* hurt but there was something intimate about it all the same. He loved the feel of Gibbs’s warm body so close against his own, and the tight hug of Gibbs’s arm around his waist, keeping him close and keeping him in place. He liked being able to hear Gibbs breathe as he spanked him, and the scent of the man.
The ache in his bottom grew more intense as Gibbs continued spanking him, sparing him nothing as he spanked with his usual degree of deep concentration, and now Tony knew that the ten with the strap would have been a breeze compared to this. His backside felt aglow, and he knew it had to be shining brightly. It throbbed, and that throb spread out into the rest of his body, warming him.
He closed his eyes, feeling the pounding in his head recede a little with every spank. He didn’t resist the pain, but instead welcomed it in, slowing his breathing down to meet each wave of burning sensation as they radiated out from his ass.
He couldn’t do anything but submit – he was Gibbs’s submissive, he wore Gibbs’s collar, and if Gibbs wanted to hold him here and spank him until his ass was burning hot and too sore to sit on for days then he’d just have to accept that – he didn’t have a choice in the matter. He gave himself up to it, utterly and completely, and really, with a top like Gibbs that was easy.
Something deep inside him felt settled by the spanking, hard and intense though it was. This was where he was meant to be, lying over this man’s knees and taking whatever he wanted to hand out. He trusted Gibbs to know when he’d had enough, and not to take him further than he could go – all that was left was to simply surrender to it.
The pace slowed, and then stopped, and Tony shifted and gazed up at his top blearily.
“You done, boss?” he whispered, feeling shattered, as if someone had reached into his soul and pulled him apart.
“Yeah,” Gibbs said softly. He gave Tony the strangest look, and then reached out and smoothed his hair away from his face. “You need to get some sleep now, Tony,” he said quietly.
“Mmm…I’ll just roll over this way and go next door to my room…” Tony muttered, sliding sideways to get off the bed, his body a mass of fiery sensation as he moved. He felt as if his limbs were made of jello and seriously considered crawling into the next door room as he wasn’t at all sure he could walk there.
“Not next door. Here. Where I can keep an eye on you,” Gibbs said, getting off the bed and holding up the covers for Tony to crawl under. Tony was too tired to say anything – he just did as he was told, sliding beneath the covers and settling himself there on his front.
Gibbs pulled the blanket up to Tony’s neck, and then got up and went over to the desk in the corner, found a file, and returned to the bed. Tony watched dozily as Gibbs toed off his shoes and sat down next to him on the bed, then opened the file and started reading.
“Close your eyes, Tony – I’ve got you and I’m not going anywhere,” Gibbs said, and Tony had no idea how his boss knew that his eyes were open because Gibbs wasn’t even looking at him. Still reading the file, Gibbs reached down and gently stroked Tony’s head with his hand. Tony sighed, loving the feel of Gibbs’s fingers smoothing his hair, and, within seconds, he was fast asleep.
~*~
End of Part Six
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Hiding in Plain Sight: Part Seven
Author: Xanthe
Fandom: SGA/NCIS crossover
Pairings: Gibbs/DiNozzo, John/Rodney, Carson/Caldwell, Teyla/Ronon, Ziva/McGee, and some other pairings that would spoil the story if I revealed them. Gibbs/Ducky friendship.
Rating: NC17 for explicit BDSM sex (m/m slash, femslash and het) and spanking.
Author's Notes
Summary: When a serial killer murders three marines on Atlantis, NCIS are called in to investigate. However, their arrival brings complications for everyone – revealing a lie, a prophecy, a secret and a nemesis.
Part Six: “Tony, I bet there isn’t a universe out there where a Gibbs doesn’t feel the need to slap a DiNozzo upside the head,”
Hiding in Plain Sight
By Xanthe
Part Six
Tony lay in his bed, staring morosely at the ceiling. He'd spent the past three hours tossing and turning, and had no expectation of ever getting to sleep. He'd masturbated twice but that hadn't helped either.
It actually physically *hurt* knowing that Gibbs was lying in bed in the room next to his, so close at hand and yet perpetually out of reach. He had spent the past two nights tormenting himself with fantasies of Gibbs creeping into his room and putting a rough hand over his mouth, then pinning him to the bed and fucking him senseless until morning. In another fantasy, he saw himself tied to Gibbs's massive bed, while his boss teased him with a variety of clamps and floggers. He had fantasies where he was on his knees, arms tied behind his back, taking Gibbs's cock slowly into his mouth; or where he was bent over the balcony railing outside, being slowly fucked by Gibbs from behind as the sea breeze caressed them both. Or there was the one where Gibbs just held him down and kissed him, slowly, sweetly, his hands keeping Tony's wrists held behind his back while he plundered his mouth lovingly with his tongue.
There were other fantasies too – and those were the ones that weren’t satisfied by masturbation, and which prevented him sleeping. He could see himself walking at Gibbs’s side, his trusted lieutenant and life-partner, and that was never a fantasy he’d had about any top before. He longed for the easy intimacy that went beyond sex and was about companionship and love. He wanted Gibbs to talk to him and confide in him; but mainly, he just wanted to be close to the man.
He had fantasies about sitting on his top’s couch in the evening and watching a movie with him; about taking a walk along a beach with him, hand in hand; or living in his house and working on that stupid damn boat with him, sharing a beer and making Gibbs laugh. God how he loved the sound of Gibbs’s laugh – and it was such a rare sound that he tried to provoke it out of Gibbs as often as he could. Gibbs was too serious, and had the air of a man who had loved and lost too much in his life. Tony wanted to ease that pain away and make Gibbs see how good it could be to have a sub he loved in his life and in his bed again.
The fantasies were endless, and having the object of them lying in the next door room was too much for Tony. At least back at home they were separated by a ten minute car ride. Here…well, here he got to see Gibbs in his bathrobe first thing in the morning, and he had to sleep in the room next to him, knowing that Gibbs was lying naked just a few feet away - so close and yet still so untouchable - and that was almost more than he could stand.
He had thought, when he first took Gibbs's collar, that he could handle it. He had even thought that maybe this was a test of his abilities as a sub – to wait, to worship from afar, to devote himself to someone who might never even so much as kiss him on the lips - although he lived in hope.
He hadn't been in another top's bed since Gibbs had fastened his collar around his neck, and the truth was that hadn't been such a hardship. Sure, he missed sex, but he'd had one hell of a lot of sex before he met Gibbs. There was no point even pretending with another top though – Tony knew that nobody would live up to Gibbs.
How long could he endure being so close to the man though, without being more to him than just one amongst his many subs? He honestly wasn't sure he could take much more of this. He got up, body bathed with sweat, and went to take a shower.
When he got out, he rubbed his damp hair with a towel while peering at himself in the mirror. He looked like crap. He hadn't slept a wink last night, and he hadn't managed to get any sleep tonight, either, and in a few hours time they had to get up and work on this case again. There were dark shadows under Tony's eyes and he was aware of a dull ache in the base of his skull. He knew he needed to sleep but it just wasn't happening so there was no point lying in bed waiting for it.
He dried himself slowly, examining his butt in the mirror. Yesterday, for the first time ever, Gibbs had forgotten to give him his daily spanking. Hell, when they were at home Gibbs would even call him over at the weekend to administer it. He'd missed it a couple of times when he was in the hospital, or working a case away from Gibbs, but Gibbs made sure to mention it to him every day even if it wasn't possible for him to deliver it. Yesterday had been so hectic, from beginning to end, that it seemed to have slipped Gibbs's mind completely, and Tony wasn't happy about that. The marks from the brief strapping he'd received a couple of days ago had now gone, and Tony felt depressed as he surveyed his completely white butt – it was the first time in nearly five years that his ass hadn't had Gibbs's mark on it, and he didn't like the way it looked. The daily spankings might not be much but they were all he had and he treasured them for that reason alone.
He knew what everyone thought of him, and to be fair, the image of himself he projected was one that had once been true. He had been a commitment-phobe, hopping from one top's bed to another, barely able to keep them straight in his mind there were so many of them. He was also an inveterate flirt, and being collared hadn't tempered that inclination in the slightest. He had lost count of the number of times he'd propositioned Gibbs, both privately and in public, and been firmly rebuffed. People expected that of him. They all knew he wanted to bed Gibbs, and were probably equally sure that was ALL he wanted – a fuck buddy, someone he could roll in and out of bed with, no strings attached, no emotions involved. They had no idea of the truth beneath that, and he had no intention that any of them should ever find out - least of all Gibbs.
Tony got dressed and opened up the file of notes he'd made during all the questioning they'd done the previous day. There was only one way he could serve Gibbs right now, and that was to solve this case for him - and if that was the only way he could offer Gibbs his service, then that was what he'd do.
He was ready and waiting three hours later when Gibbs emerged from his room, fully dressed, hair still wet from his shower. Tony handed him a coffee, and waved his notes at him.
"Boss, I want to call Kate Heightmeyer, Rodney Sheppard and Carson Beckett back in for questioning," he said. "I've been going over the notes and I'm still not clear on the timeline. I'm going to pencil in Steven Beckett, and John Sheppard as well – something's niggling me about this and I can't fit it together."
"Okay." Gibbs took the file, and glanced through it as he sipped his coffee. "You sleep okay, DiNozzo?"
"Like a baby, boss," Tony lied. "You?"
"Fine," Gibbs grunted. "Okay – as this is your idea, Tony, and as you're the one with the niggle – you take the questioning. I'll watch."
Tony nodded. He liked it when he and Gibbs worked a case together like this. They bounced off each other, and he loved the way Gibbs's mind worked. The man was a consummate professional and Tony found that exhilarating. Gibbs brought out the best in him, plain and simple.
He decided to call in Kate Heightmeyer first. She was an attractive blonde top, and a respected psychologist.
"Sorry to have to call you in again," he said, smiling his finest boyish smile, with just a hint of subby fawning. Tops always responded to it – well, most tops. Gibbs never had. It had the desired effect on Heightmeyer though; she gave him a fond smile in return.
"That's fine, Agent DiNozzo. I understand that you have a job to do," she told him, looking supremely comfortable.
"And forgive me if I go over some of the ground we covered yesterday – I just want to be clear on some things that I've got kinda muddled about," he said, with another silly smile, as if he was a dopey sub who couldn't get something right unless a top showed him how. That seemed to bring out the dominant in her and she smiled at him like he was a beautiful, much loved, but slightly stupid pet.
"Okay," he said. "You say you didn't see Dr Keller on the night she was murdered?"
"No, I didn't. I was on the mainland and Jenny had to work," she replied.
"But you and Dr Keller were in a relationship weren't you? You were lovers - but Jennifer wanted more commitment from you, didn't she? She was a young sub, quite smitten by a good-looking, older, confident top such as yourself. She even wanted to wear your collar, didn't she?"
"Uh…" Heightmeyer looked as if she’d had the wind completely taken out of her sails by his turn of questioning. Tops were so easy to play. Tony liked the feeling – first lull them into a false sense of security by flirting as subbily as possible, then flip everything on its head and go in for the kill. "Well, it wasn't quite like that. It wasn't a relationship really. We had played together a few times, and I liked her, but I wasn't ready to collar her."
"But she wanted that, didn't she?" Tony asked.
"I don't know." The blonde woman shook her head.
"But you said yesterday that you thought she did," Tony pressed, making a show of checking his notes.
"Well, she had mentioned it, but I didn't take it seriously. Like you said, she was a young sub, a long way from home – I felt she just wanted some security."
"Was that your professional opinion?" Gibbs butted in, from his vantage place by the door. "Or just a personal one?"
"Where does one end and the other begin?" Heightmeyer replied. "Look, she was a nice girl, and I liked playing with her, but there was nothing more to it than that. We weren't in love and I didn't mind her playing with other tops."
"You sure?" Tony asked.
"What are you trying to say? I found her playing with another top and then killed her in a jealous rage?" Heightmeyer asked. "That's absurd. Apart from anything else, Jenny didn't sleep around – and she would have told me if she'd been playing with anyone else."
"Maybe she did tell you," Tony said. "And maybe you didn't like that."
"That's not what happened, Agent DiNozzo," she told him quietly. "And I think you know that. Clutching at straws won't solve your case for you, and Jenny was a lovely woman – she deserves justice."
Gibbs cleared his throat and Tony nodded. "Okay, Dr Heightmeyer. Thank you. We'll call you in again if we need you. You’ve been a great help. We really appreciate it."
He smiled his best subby smile again but she wasn't about to be fooled a second time, and she gave him a sharp look in return. Tony didn't miss the little chuckle Gibbs gave at that as Heightmeyer left the room.
"She's got you figured out, DiNozzo," he told him. "And she didn't kill Jennifer Keller."
"I know," Tony sighed. "But I just wanted to be sure. Jealous lovers are always the number one suspects."
“As a matter of interest,” Gibbs said, a rare grin tugging at the corners of his lips. “Does that little subby trick you just pulled ever work on any of the tops you meet?”
“Oh yeah,” Tony grinned. “Every time.”
“*Every* time?” Gibbs asked, with a raised eyebrow.
“Well, not with you, boss, but with most tops. But then I learned how to play tops at my mom’s knee and you’d be surprised just how predictable you all are.”
“At your mom’s knee?” Gibbs looked startled. “Just how old were you when you discovered your orientation, DiNozzo?”
“I didn’t ever not know, boss. I was born knowing,” Tony shrugged.
Gibbs looked even more surprised by that. Tony wasn’t sure why. He knew it was unusual – most people only figured out their orientation at puberty - but it didn't seem like that big a deal to Tony.
“I could even figure out which of the other kids at school were most likely to end up as dominants or submissives,” Tony said with a shrug. “Got in a lot of early experience playing up to them. I think I peaked too young,” he said with a grin. “Too much, too soon – I had it all figured out while all the other kids were still playing ‘spank-chase’ in the schoolyard. Got into a lot of trouble with my dad, sneaking out to meet much older tops when I was still a kid. I looked older than I was as well which didn’t help.”
“I don’t think any father would be happy with his underage son sneaking out to meet tops he hadn’t been introduced to,” Gibbs commented, and it was reasonable enough but it irritated Tony all the same.
“Oh he wasn’t concerned for my safety,” Tony shrugged. “He just didn’t like me bringing shame on the family name with his business buddies.” His childhood hadn’t been the happiest of times. Gibbs knew that – Tony had never made any secret of it over the years he’d been working with Gibbs.
His parents had been wealthy but self-absorbed; his mother was a beautiful, trophy submissive, who frequently hit the pages of the style magazines, and his father a high-powered businessman. It had been a passionate relationship, full of drunken rows and overblown romantic rapprochements. They had alternately neglected Tony and then showered him with devotion and he’d worshipped and been confused by them in equal measure. Their family life came to a horrible end, overnight, when his mom died in a car accident with her secret lover when he was ten years’ old.
His father’s drinking, always a problem, had spiralled out of control into full-blown alcoholism. He was full of a savage, bitter kind of grief that not only had he lost the beautiful wife he loved, but that she’d been cheating on him when she died. Tony, looking just like her, with the same provocative nature and submissive identification brought out dual emotions of love and anger in him. When he was sober he found it hard to look at his son, and when he was drunk he alternated between clumsy affection and violence.
“I learned a long time ago that dominants are easy to manipulate – it’s the subs who are the smart ones in any dynamic,” Tony said.
“Is that so?” Gibbs’s raised eyebrow looked almost like a challenge, and Tony felt that familiar zinging sensation in his belly. This man, right here, was a top he couldn’t manipulate, the kind of top who’d be strong enough to take him and who’d see through anything less than his total honesty and submission. Tony longed to have a top who’d take him that far down into his own sub-space. He wanted to find out just what his limits were, in the hands of a truly skilful top - the kind who would know if he was bullshitting or feigning charm for his own manipulative purposes.
“Yeah,” Tony said, raising his chin, meeting Gibbs’s challenge with one of his own.
They stared at each other, and the atmosphere in the room seemed suddenly highly charged, almost electric. Tony had the sensation that Gibbs was teetering on the brink, and that in a blink of an eye he might find himself flat on his back on the table, with Gibbs’s hands on his body, claiming him. Then the moment passed; Gibbs looked away, and Tony felt as if he’d been punched in the gut. He turned back to his notes as if nothing had happened and willed himself to get his weary brain working again but he was so tired, and his head was pounding.
Next up, he called in Steven Beckett. The man was a tall and physically imposing submissive and Tony already knew him well from the eighteen days they'd spent on his ship on their way to Atlantis.
"Take a seat, Colonel," he said, brisk and businesslike – no point wasting the subby tricks on another sub. ”The fire onboard the Daedalus – do you know what caused that yet?"
"No, we're still figuring it out," Steven replied. "Why? You think it's related to Dr Keller's murder?"
"I don't know. It just seems like a big coincidence for it to happen on the night she was killed, and, well, I don’t believe in co-incidences.” He shot a look in Gibbs’s direction. “What time did it start?"
"It was found at around 3.30 a.m."
"But you didn't find out about it until 6 a.m. when a marine came to your quarters?" Tony furrowed up his brow.
Steven looked annoyed. "Yes," he replied tersely.
"Why did it take them so long to inform you?"
"My radio was switched off." He looked uncomfortable about that but didn't elaborate.
"Why didn't they send someone to wake you earlier?"
"They could have but Major McClusky was in charge - she's my second-in-command – and she took a view that she could take care of it. They sent someone for me as soon as they got the situation under control."
"What's the security like onboard the Daedalus, Colonel?" Tony asked, sitting back in his chair and surveying the other man intently. Steven shifted, looking annoyed.
"To be honest with you, Agent DiNozzo, I don't think security was all it should have been the night before last," he admitted. "It was our first night back on Atlantis, everyone was excited, and there was only a skeleton detail onboard as so many people were on the mainland attending the festival. I shouldn't have authorised it but my people have been working hard for weeks and…" He spread his hands and sighed.
"You had no reason to believe the Daedalus would be targeted – if, indeed, that's what happened," Gibbs commented, from his vantage point behind Tony's shoulder.
"I know." Steven made a little ticking sound of annoyance in the back of his throat. "But…my preliminary findings suggest that the skeleton staff weren't following protocol as closely as they should have been. Security was lax – no doubt about it."
"So, it's entirely possible that someone could have got onboard and started the fire?" Tony asked.
"Yes. It is." Steven nodded. "Rodney's looking into it but the damage is extensive so it might take awhile to be sure. It might not have been deliberate – it *could* have been an accident – Daedalus is overdue a full maintenance check and she's been on continuous runs for the past few months. Flying between galaxies can place serious strain on a ship – it's possible she had a problem we hadn't detected."
"Okay. Well - let us know when you have some answers," Tony said.
Steven nodded, and unfurled his tall body to leave. "I'm sorry," he said, and the comment was directed more at Gibbs than him, Tony thought. "I screwed up on this one."
Tony supposed that there wasn't a sub in the world who wouldn't look to Gibbs for some kind of reassurance in a situation like this but Colonel Beckett got the same kind of cold Gibbsian comfort all the rest of them got.
“Yes you did,” Gibbs said firmly. “I don’t have a problem with you giving your people the night off, but security protocols should have been followed to the letter.”
The colonel gave a little grimace, but Tony guessed that Gibbs hadn’t said anything to him that he didn’t already know.
General John Sheppard was up next. Tony had liked the general since the moment he first laid eyes on him. He reminded him a bit of Gibbs, only a hell of a lot more laid back. Tony gave him the patented Tony DiNozzo subby smile of supreme flirt as he came in but Sheppard didn't respond. Tony thought he heard Gibbs give a little grunt of amusement at that.
"We estimate the murder took place at around 4.15 a.m., General," he said, launching straight in. "Where were you at that time?"
"I'd just gone to check on Rodney in the lab," Sheppard replied. "He'd heard something and I was worried."
"It's kind of late to be up isn't it?" Tony asked. "Shouldn't both you and your sub have been tucked up in bed at that time?"
His tone was just faintly suggestive – it was intended to be. He had the feeling that this top hid a fierce, dark streak behind that cool exterior and he wanted to needle him out of his comfort zone. Sure enough, Sheppard's eyes flashed at that comment.
"Rodney often works through the night if he's preoccupied with a project – sometimes it's easier to give him his head and let him get it out of his system then take him down later when he needs to rest," Sheppard replied.
Tony felt a jolt of envy that Rodney had a top who understood him so well and knew how to take such good care of him. Then he realised he had that too – but what he didn't have was a top who was in love with him, and John Sheppard was clearly as head over heels in love with his husband as it was possible to be.
"As for me…I just had a bad feeling all through that night," Sheppard said. "Can't explain it but I was sure something bad was going to happen. Felt it in my gut, as Special Agent Gibbs knows." Sheppard glanced over Tony's shoulder at Gibbs.
"So you didn't go to bed at all?" Gibbs asked.
"No." Sheppard shook his head. "And I still didn't catch the bastard doing this. I just wasn't expecting there to be trouble in the infirmary. I was patrolling the marine quarters and keeping an eye on the people coming back and forth from the mainland. All the previous murders took place in marine quarters." Sheppard ran his hand through his unruly dark hair. "I should have gone around the entire base. Poor Jenny – she was just a silly kid. I liked her – once I put her straight on the crush she had on me when she first arrived we got on well. She was like my kid sister or something. Damn it – if only I'd stopped by the infirmary after checking on Rodney!"
"Easy, General," Gibbs murmured. "You couldn't have known."
"What time did you call Rodney?" Tony asked.
"Around 4 a.m. I'd told him to lock the door in his lab when I was there earlier and he had – I saw him do it. When I called him he said he'd heard a noise. I was spooked, so I ran down there…but he was fine."
"How long did you stay?"
"About five minutes – then I went back to the jumper bay."
"Okay – thank you, General."
Tony tried the subby grin again, glancing sideways at the general through his eyelashes, and this time Sheppard's eyes glimmered in recognition. He looked amused for a moment, and then shook his head.
"Don't let Rodney catch you doing that, DiNozzo," he warned. "He has the power of granting you hot or cold water for your shower in the morning and you really don't want to get on the wrong side of him. I did once and ended up running through the hallways in my towel."
"A fine mental image to leave me with, General – thank you for that," Tony said, with an appreciative wink. Gibbs snorted, and Sheppard gave a wry grin and glanced at Gibbs over Tony's shoulder.
"Looks like you have your hands full with that one, Agent Gibbs," he commented. "He must give your strap a few workouts."
"You have no idea," Tony muttered ruefully, as Gibbs gave another amused snort.
Sheppard left, and Tony was about to call in the next person when Gibbs clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"Time to eat," he said.
Was it? Tony didn't feel very hungry but he saw from a glance at his watch that it was already early afternoon and he hadn't had any breakfast.
They walked down to the canteen and Tony felt his headache recede a little as he enjoyed the alone time with Gibbs, just the two of them, with him on the end of Gibbs's leash. He imagined what it would be like to do this all the time – to walk into the cafeteria and pile up just one plate, bring it back to the table and have Gibbs feed him with his own fork. Then he shook himself. Sharing–a-plate fantasies were the lowest of the low – only really dumb subs or the subs in the worst kind of romantic movies ever spent their time dreaming of sharing a plate with a top. It wasn't something he'd ever wanted for himself, either, before he met Gibbs.
They saw Abby, sitting at one of the tables, talking excitedly to Rodney Sheppard, while Colonel Lorne sat opposite, gazing at them with a bemused if goofy smile on his face. Carson was sitting next to Lorne, trying, unsuccessfully, to engage him in conversation and John Sheppard was sitting opposite Rodney, not saying a great deal but feeding his sub from their shared plate whenever Rodney shut up for long enough to eat. Tony felt another of those stabs of envy at seeing Rodney and John Sheppard sharing a plate. He wondered what the hell a powerful top like Sheppard saw in Rodney. The scientist was attractive in his own way, sure, and he certainly had very wide, very blue eyes, but he also had an irascible edge to him that Sheppard seemed to allow to go unchecked.
Tony wondered how Gibbs would handle a sub as obviously volatile, frenetic and brilliant as Rodney Sheppard and decided that Rodney would wilt within seconds – very few subs were brave enough to withstand Gibbs's sharp eyed gaze for long. On the other hand…General Sheppard didn't look like the kind of top who put up with much bullshit either, so maybe Rodney was made of stronger stuff than he seemed.
Abby saw them and waved them over so they took their trays and went to sit with her and her new friends.
"Gibbs – I found out that Carson can sign too!" she said, signing with her hands as she spoke. "Isn't that cool?"
Carson grinned, and signed something at Abby, who signed back.
"My little brother was deaf," Carson explained. "Nobody was sure why – we made lots of trips to the hospital when I was a kid – I think that's when I first became interested in medicine. Anyway, the whole family learned to sign – and there were seven of us kids plus mum and dad so sometimes we'd have these great big silent conversations around the dinner table."
"You know…I've always wondered how you know how to sign, Gibbs," Tony said. "I mean, Abby has a deaf mom and Carson has a deaf brother. How about you?"
Gibbs glanced at him sideways, his expression as inscrutable as ever, and then he signed something at Abby and Carson who both laughed. Tony rolled his eyes - there were many things about Gibbs that he found fascinating and this was one of them, but his boss never gave away anything personal. It was frustrating.
Tony switched off while Abby chattered away excitedly. His head felt as if it was full of lead, and he was sure he was missing something obvious about the case. He rubbed the base of his skull, absently, wishing he could shift the knots he felt there, wanting to get his fingers right in and rub the sore spots away.
He vaguely heard Abby and Rodney talking – most of it made no sense so he could see why Lorne was looking so bemused. Sheppard just sat there with a fond smile on his face as if he was used to this.
"You know…sometimes I get all excited about this stuff Rodney is showing me and then I remember that that poor girl was killed and I feel bad about it," Abby said.
"Jenny Keller was a nice woman," General Sheppard said softly. Rodney glanced up sharply.
"She had a thing for John," he said. "Like half the subs on the base." He didn't seem happy about that but General Sheppard just rolled his eyes and placed another forkful of food in Rodney's mouth.
"Aren't you upset she's dead?" Abby asked him.
"Mmm, the thing is…" Rodney said, with his mouth full of food, "I've found a way of handling it when people die – and they seem to die a lot out here, what with the Wraith and the dangerous missions and everything. So…you remember I told you about that other universe John and I were sucked into a few months ago? The one where nobody knew their dynamic and they had all those weird taboo issues about same gender relationships?"
Abby nodded, and Tony wondered what the hell they were talking about.
"Well…when I first arrived out here a few years ago there was a scientist on my team called Zelenka. He was good – not as brilliant as me of course but then who is? Anyway, he and I…well, I suppose we'd kind of been friends but then he went and got himself killed at the end of our first year out here and I was pretty cut up about it." Rodney glanced at his husband, who nodded in agreement.
"But the thing is, Abby – when we got sucked over to that other universe Zelenka wasn't dead over there. He was still alive! And I got to see him again, and talk to him and work with him." Rodney's face looked animated as he spoke about this Zelenka person, and Tony found himself interested, despite himself. "So now, when something happens like it did with Jenny Keller – I just think that in that other universe, with the other John and Rodney and Carson and so on – well, Jenny's probably still alive in that universe, living her life, being happy." He shrugged and accepted another forkful of food from his husband.
"Oh that is so cool!" Abby exclaimed. "It's like nobody ever really dies!"
"'xactly!" Rodney said, around his mouthful of food.
Tony couldn't even begin to process that. His head hurt too much. He pushed his food around his plate, until he noticed Abby watching him, a worried look in her green eyes.
He pulled himself together and sat up – the last thing he wanted was for Gibbs to notice he wasn't eating.
"They should make a movie about that universe," he said with a grin. "Although from the sound of it nobody'd believe it. I can just see the casting – Tom Cruise could play the general here, and Nic Cage could play Dr Sheppard."
"Ooh – could I be in it?" Abby said, clapping her hands. "Who could play me? And who could play you, Tony?”
Tony grinned at her. "Nobody’s cute and crazy enough to play you, Abs. And of course nobody's cool enough to play me - or scary enough to play the boss."
A second later felt a familiar smack on the back of his head. “Hey – do you suppose in that universe Dr Sheppard’s talking about the boss here doesn’t slap his team around the head whenever he’s pissed with them?” he asked, gazing warily at Gibbs in case another one was coming his way.
“He wouldn’t – not in that universe,” Rodney said, with a firm shake of his head. “Trust me. I met those people and they definitely didn’t do anything like that.”
“Hear that, boss,” Tony said. “They sound quite enlightened over in this other universe of Dr Sheppard’s.”
Gibbs shook his head. “Tony, I bet there isn’t a universe out there where a Gibbs doesn’t feel the need to slap a DiNozzo upside the head,” he said and there was something kind of fond about the way he said it that made Tony glow a bit inside.
He grinned, and made a series of jokes about movies that got people laughing and, hopefully, distracted everybody from the fact that he hadn't eaten anything.
He was relieved when they could return to the interrogation room and resume their questioning. He felt as if he was looking at a jigsaw puzzle and one very obvious piece was missing; if they could just find it, it would make sense of the whole picture.
He called in the nurse, Ellie Marsh, next but it was clear the poor woman wasn't going to be much help. She'd found Keller's body at around 6 a.m. when she'd reported for duty at the infirmary and she'd tried to call Dr Beckett on his radio. When there was no response she had fled to Beckett's room to get him.
Next he called in Rodney Sheppard. He was aware that he was developing something of a dislike for the other sub but he wasn't sure why. He was too tired to know whether it was a genuine gut instinct, or just sheer envy for the obvious love that John Sheppard had for his husband. Rodney didn’t have to hide his love for his top the way Tony did – it was reciprocated, fully and without reservation.
"What I don't understand is why we didn't manage to get visuals on any of the murders," Tony said to Rodney. "I mean, this place is full of equipment – you'd think one of the cameras you have around the place would have picked something up."
"They're not cameras, they're sensory devices," Rodney told him snappily. "And it's not that simple. I admit, I'm surprised that we didn't find anything on the infirmary sensors. Although of course the Daedalus sensors were partially destroyed in the fire so they've told us nothing."
"It is possible the cameras – oh, I'm sorry – sensory devices," Tony stressed the two words with a slightly unnecessary sneer, and watched Rodney start to coil up like a tightly wound spring, "were tampered with?"
"Possible but unlikely. I mean, you'd need a level of knowledge of the base to start with," Rodney frowned.
"And who exactly has that knowledge?" Gibbs asked.
"Apart from you," Tony added, pointedly. Rodney clearly didn't catch the inference.
"Well, anyone working in my department I suppose," he said. "But none of them…I mean, I don't think any of them is a killer. In fact I'm sure of it!"
"Name them," Tony said. Rodney's blue eyes widened.
"What? Why?"
"Just name the people in your department – it can't be hard," Tony said, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms, watching Rodney closely.
"Well…there's me, and uh, well, there was Zelenka but he's gone and Miko – yes, there's Miko – short, Japanese, seems very meek and mild but has three subs and rules them with a rod of iron. And Hargreaves – small sub, always getting in the way. And Mortimer…or is it Morton? Well, there's him – tall, dark-haired, always flirting with any sub who'll give him the time of day which isn't many because he's kind of slimy. And um, the short lady with the grey hair and that switch…what's his name? Um…" He stopped, visibly floundering.
"How many people work in your department, Dr Sheppard?" Tony asked quietly.
"Twelve," Rodney replied promptly.
"And you can only name three of them?" Tony raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were supposed to be a brilliant scientist."
"I am!" Rodney protested. "I'm just not great with names."
"So, how do you know nobody in your department was involved when you don't even know their names?" Tony pressed. Rodney shook his head desperately.
"You don't understand – I know them, of course I know them but as people - not as names!"
"Okay." Tony nodded, and gave Rodney a look made of pure steel, one sub to another, because Rodney might get away with that kind of shit with some idiot top but it didn’t wash with him. Rodney's blue eyes widened even further and, for just a second, Tony thought he understood what a man like General Sheppard might see in this sub. There was something vulnerable about Rodney, although you had to dig deep to find it. "That's all we have for now, Dr Sheppard," he said, with a dismissive nod towards the door.
Rodney left, looking slightly dazed.
Tony felt something bugging him and just wished his head was clear enough to identify it. He needed this – he needed it to show Gibbs just how good he was at his job, to prove it to him, over and over again, so that maybe one day Gibbs would finally see he was worthy of him. If only he could concentrate, and shake off this headache.
He called in Carson Beckett, and the doctor came in, looking nervous.
"Dr Beckett…" He gave the doctor his best subby smile and Carson relaxed, visibly. Tony had an instinctive feel, honed from many sexual encounters over many years, for what kind of a top a person was, and he knew immediately that Carson was one of those kind-hearted tops who took pity on subs and wanted to take care of them. He also sensed that the good doctor was made of a certain kind of steel beneath that, and might not be as easily manipulated as he seemed at first sight. "Can you think of any reason why anyone would want to murder Jenny Keller?"
"No." Carson shook his head emphatically. "She was a dear, sweet girl. We all loved her. She was excellent at her job as well."
"Okay. Now…I want to go over something in the statement you made yesterday. You say that you woke up around 3.45 on the night Jenny was murdered, and you thought you heard and smelled something?"
"Well…I'm not sure," Carson replied, looking troubled. "I did wake up, yes, but maybe I was imagining things. I don't know."
"What kind of smell, Dr Beckett?" Gibbs asked.
"I don't know…look, I'm not even sure I smelled anything!" Carson protested loudly.
Tony winced, the raised tones aggravating his pounding headache. He rubbed his eyes to try and clear them; they felt like they were filled with grit.
“Are you okay, son?" Carson asked softly, and Tony looked up, surprised. "You look terrible if you don't mind me saying. Maybe you should take a wee trip along to my infirmary when you're done here."
"We *are* done here," Gibbs said, suddenly and unexpectedly. "Thank you for your help, Dr Beckett."
He nodded and Carson left, looking relieved to be allowed to go so soon.
"Gibbs!" Tony protested. "We only just called him in! I had more questions to ask him. He was one of the first on the scene when the body was found and…"
"It can wait," Gibbs said tersely, his sharp blue eyes gazing at Tony like two intense lasers, so bright they almost hurt. Tony shut his eyes to relieve the pressure and when he opened them again Gibbs had snapped his leash on his collar and was leading him towards the door.
"Where are we going?" Tony asked.
"Back to our quarters," Gibbs replied. "We're done for the day."
"But it's only the middle of the afternoon!" Tony protested. Gibbs gave him one of those silent glares that shut him up immediately and he followed on behind, wondering what the hell was going to happen.
Their quarters were empty when they got there which wasn’t surprising. Tony knew Ziva and McGee were helping to investigate the Daedalus fire, Abby was busy in her lab with Rodney, and Ducky was taking another look at the corpses.
“My room. Now.” Gibbs gestured with his head in the direction of his bedroom, unleashing Tony as he did so.
Tony sighed, and tried to crack his neck from side to side to release the tension. “I thought we were onto something before you pulled me out of there, boss. Do you think I went too far? Is that why you called me out? If I could just clear my head I’m sure I could figure out what’s bugging me,” he said, making no effort to walk towards the bedroom. Gibbs put a hand on his shoulder and propelled him there, shutting the door behind them.
Tony took one look at the bed and suppressed a yawn. God he felt tired. In other circumstances, he and Gibbs alone in a room with a big bed would have been a cue for him to make a suggestive comment but he was too tired to bother.
“When did you last get any sleep, DiNozzo?” Gibbs asked.
“Last night,” Tony said, warily.
Gibbs’s hand was so fast that Tony didn’t even have an inkling it was coming his way until it connected resoundingly with the back of his head.
“Ow!” he complained.
“I’ll ask again. Don’t lie to me twice,” Gibbs said. “When did you last get any sleep? You were up when I got up this morning, and you were up when I got up yesterday morning. Did you sleep either of those nights?”
Tony did actually consider lying again because this didn’t look good whichever way you looked at it, and he had no intention of telling Gibbs he’d spent two nights – and plenty more before that, on the Daedalus - struggling with the strength of his feelings for his boss.
“No,” he admitted finally.
“Why?” Gibbs came to stand in front of him, and there was just no getting away from that steely gaze.
“I don’t know, boss – I’m just finding it hard to switch off,” Tony muttered, hoping that the half-lie at least would pass muster with his top. He wasn’t sure he had totally convinced Gibbs, but he seemed prepared to let that pass.
“I know a way to switch you off, Tony,” Gibbs said, and Tony glanced up.
“Me too, but it’s never on offer, boss,” he replied. That earned him another light slap on the back of the head although he didn’t miss the amused glint in Gibbs’s eyes either.
“I was too busy to spank you yesterday,” Gibbs told him and Tony groaned out loud. “My mistake. Events ran away from us. I should have taken care of it this morning but you seemed to be on a roll with the case and I didn’t want to interrupt you. Again – my mistake – and not one I’ll make again. Strip. You know the drill.”
Tony sighed. “You really don’t have to do this for me, boss,” he said as he unzipped his pants and toed off his shoes.
“Yes, I do, Tony. I really do,” Gibbs said, sounding amused.
Tony shucked off his pants, leaving them in an untidy heap and then stood there, awaiting further orders.
“I said strip, Tony,” Gibbs ordered, and in the dull recesses of his aching brain Tony finally registered that. Gibbs did occasionally order him to strip completely, but only when he was due one hell of a spanking.
“Oh boss,” he groaned. “Does it have to be that bad?”
“Depends on your definition of ‘bad’, Tony,” Gibbs said. He went over to his night stand, opened the top drawer, and pulled out the strap that Tony loathed so much. “But if you miss a spanking you know you’re due a big one next time. That’s just the way it works.”
“Well, it’s the way you say it works,” Tony muttered. “It doesn’t *have* to work that way. You could change the rules.”
“Can’t do that, Tony,” Gibbs said, with a wry shake of his head. “You depend on ‘em.”
Tony really didn’t think that was the case but he finished undressing and walked stiffly over to the armchair to take his position.
“Not so fast. I’m going to give you a choice,” Gibbs said. Tony stood up, intrigued. This was new; Gibbs never usually gave him a choice. “Ten with the strap, or you take your chances with my hand – no promises for how many you’ll get there though,” Gibbs said.
Tony swallowed. He hated the strap and he’d longed to take a spanking from Gibbs’s hand since he’d first been collared. He wasn’t sure why that was on offer now when it hadn’t been before but he wasn’t going to pass on the opportunity. Besides – Gibbs’s hand, even if he took dozens of swats from it, couldn’t hurt anywhere near as much as the damn strap.
“Your hand. Please, boss,” he said, giving Gibbs his patented DiNozzo subby look through his eyelashes.
“Doesn’t work with me remember, Tony,” Gibbs snorted. “Okay, my hand.” He put the strap down on the nightstand and Tony thought he caught a strange glimmer of amusement in Gibbs’s eye at his choice of implement. What the hell was *that* about? Gibbs sat down on the bed and pulled a pillow over his knees. “Come here.”
Despite his tiredness, his pounding headache, and the knowledge that he was about to be soundly spanked, Tony went over to his top eagerly. He’d fantasised often enough about being over Gibbs’s knees and now he was going to experience it first hand.
He threw himself over Gibbs’s lap with the practised air of a sub who had been in this position many, many times. He knew he looked good, body stretched out, ass positioned right in the centre of the pillow, legs and arms comfortably positioned and supported by the mattress on either side. He relaxed; this was one of his favourite positions and he had no objection to spending a lot of time this way.
He felt Gibbs’s arm go around his waist, and he knew immediately there wasn’t going to be a slow warm-up. He didn’t know why he had expected anything different – when Gibbs spanked he spanked. He didn’t screw around with warm-ups and stroking and all that shit – which happened to be shit that Tony was pretty fond of as it usually presaged a nice, expert play spanking which ended with him getting sexual release. This was NOT going to be one of those spankings.
He didn’t even have time for that realisation to sink in before there was a whistle of air and a sharp smacking sound – and then a blaze of pain ripped across his right buttock.
“Ow! You said you weren’t going to use the strap!” Tony protested, turning his head to glower at his top.
“I’m not,” Gibbs said, nodding in the direction of the nightstand, where, sure enough, the strap was still lying where Gibbs had left it.
“That is never your hand…oh shit…that IS your hand,” Tony said as Gibbs landed another sharp smack to his ass. “Man, you’re evil. When you gave me that choice you *knew*…oh shit…” he didn’t have time to finish his train of thought before Gibbs was spanking him in earnest.
Gibbs’s hand felt like it was made of warm, living iron as it rained down hard blows on Tony’s upturned ass. It hurt more than Tony thought a top’s hand could *ever* hurt but there was something intimate about it all the same. He loved the feel of Gibbs’s warm body so close against his own, and the tight hug of Gibbs’s arm around his waist, keeping him close and keeping him in place. He liked being able to hear Gibbs breathe as he spanked him, and the scent of the man.
The ache in his bottom grew more intense as Gibbs continued spanking him, sparing him nothing as he spanked with his usual degree of deep concentration, and now Tony knew that the ten with the strap would have been a breeze compared to this. His backside felt aglow, and he knew it had to be shining brightly. It throbbed, and that throb spread out into the rest of his body, warming him.
He closed his eyes, feeling the pounding in his head recede a little with every spank. He didn’t resist the pain, but instead welcomed it in, slowing his breathing down to meet each wave of burning sensation as they radiated out from his ass.
He couldn’t do anything but submit – he was Gibbs’s submissive, he wore Gibbs’s collar, and if Gibbs wanted to hold him here and spank him until his ass was burning hot and too sore to sit on for days then he’d just have to accept that – he didn’t have a choice in the matter. He gave himself up to it, utterly and completely, and really, with a top like Gibbs that was easy.
Something deep inside him felt settled by the spanking, hard and intense though it was. This was where he was meant to be, lying over this man’s knees and taking whatever he wanted to hand out. He trusted Gibbs to know when he’d had enough, and not to take him further than he could go – all that was left was to simply surrender to it.
The pace slowed, and then stopped, and Tony shifted and gazed up at his top blearily.
“You done, boss?” he whispered, feeling shattered, as if someone had reached into his soul and pulled him apart.
“Yeah,” Gibbs said softly. He gave Tony the strangest look, and then reached out and smoothed his hair away from his face. “You need to get some sleep now, Tony,” he said quietly.
“Mmm…I’ll just roll over this way and go next door to my room…” Tony muttered, sliding sideways to get off the bed, his body a mass of fiery sensation as he moved. He felt as if his limbs were made of jello and seriously considered crawling into the next door room as he wasn’t at all sure he could walk there.
“Not next door. Here. Where I can keep an eye on you,” Gibbs said, getting off the bed and holding up the covers for Tony to crawl under. Tony was too tired to say anything – he just did as he was told, sliding beneath the covers and settling himself there on his front.
Gibbs pulled the blanket up to Tony’s neck, and then got up and went over to the desk in the corner, found a file, and returned to the bed. Tony watched dozily as Gibbs toed off his shoes and sat down next to him on the bed, then opened the file and started reading.
“Close your eyes, Tony – I’ve got you and I’m not going anywhere,” Gibbs said, and Tony had no idea how his boss knew that his eyes were open because Gibbs wasn’t even looking at him. Still reading the file, Gibbs reached down and gently stroked Tony’s head with his hand. Tony sighed, loving the feel of Gibbs’s fingers smoothing his hair, and, within seconds, he was fast asleep.
~*~
End of Part Six
Friendly feedback adored!
Hiding in Plain Sight: Part Seven
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 07:01 am (UTC)OMG Xan you make my heart ache! First with virgin!Tim and love-struck!Tony and denial!Gibbs.
I think you should post more chapters so that when I wake up I have more to read.
<3
no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 08:48 am (UTC)And yes, all those poor hurting lambs!
no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 07:16 am (UTC)of course it's all going so well (except you know for Keller)
I know you better than to expect it to stay like this all the way through. And that's what makes it good!
and now bed myself
no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 08:54 am (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 08:01 am (UTC)And I so called Ziva's orientation \o/
lots of fun. Darn, is it tomorrow yet? I do actually like the serial posting since 1) I know it's finished and 2) it make me take time reading rather than skimming.
no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 08:56 am (UTC)And it's only another 22 or so hours until tomorrow *g*.
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 08:39 am (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 08:57 am (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 09:53 am (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 10:17 am (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 09:54 am (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 10:17 am (UTC)Hiding in Plain Sight: Part Six
on Oct. 21st, 2008 10:33 am (UTC)I love Rodney's philosophy on death. It works for me. :)
So, great part with the all Gibbs/Tony all the time focus. ;) I needed that.
Thanks so much!
*hugs you tight*
Re: Hiding in Plain Sight: Part Six
on Oct. 21st, 2008 11:03 am (UTC)*hugs*
Re: Hiding in Plain Sight: Part Six
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 11:04 am (UTC)(no subject)
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 12:39 pm (UTC)I loved it all, especially the Gibbs/DiNozzo bits (good spanking *g*). I loved Gibbs' amusement watching Tony's subby tricks working on Tops. I completely adored the spanking and the tenderness afterwards. It's like John and Rodney in reverse - in their relationship, John had to be a consummate Top and wait for Rodney to come to him whereas Tony's the one waiting for Gibbs to wake up to his needs, to realize he's hurting Tony with his behaviour whether or not they are sharing a plate (still love that idea) and to come to his sub and Top him in all ways.
The build-up to the discovery of Keller's body is brilliantly done. The unease felt by both Gibbs and John, the noise Rodney heard, the patrols and the waiting, Abby going missing . . . it all built the tension and then, just when we relax with Carson and Stephen in bed, BAM! Really, really skilful writing and very, very enjoyable to read :-)
With all that going on, there is a tender and touching conversation between Ziva and Tim, and is anyone surprised the poor boy's a virgin? *g* I bet Tim hopes Tony *never* finds that out *g*
Brilliant, brilliant, *brilliant* writing :-)
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 01:18 pm (UTC)You're SO right about Tim and Tony - LOL!
And I love your insights into Gibbs/Tony and John/Rodney.
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 01:28 pm (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 03:41 pm (UTC)Awwwww
on Oct. 21st, 2008 01:57 pm (UTC)I have to say I particularly like the way you are showing us all the different permutations of power dynamic here. It's very refreshing to read something which recognises that there is a huge variation in the way you can approach D/s. *grins*
So, in conclusion, MOAR SOON PLZ
Re: Awwwww
on Oct. 21st, 2008 03:43 pm (UTC)And yes - Tim is totally adorable :-)
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 03:28 pm (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 03:52 pm (UTC)But yes, I've always loved both Mark Harmon and David McCallum and since watching NCIS I've totally fallen for Michael Weatherly as well :-)
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 03:44 pm (UTC)Thanks.
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 03:46 pm (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 04:07 pm (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 04:08 pm (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 04:16 pm (UTC)I'm loving this so much, your characterizations are great, the Gibbs/DiNozzo dynamic is spot on. yay!
I'd never really seen the possibility for Ziva/McGee before, but even that's working well.
also, great plot and pacing. Unlike the show, I really have no idea who the murderer is. IT'S A MYSTERY!
yay for Mystery!
thanks for writing!
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 05:23 pm (UTC)And yay for the mystery thing! LOL! I was rather proud of myself for managing that.
Thanks for your great comments!
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 04:27 pm (UTC)Ducky and Woolsey - I just loved that scene. I've had a fondness for the actor playing Woolsey since ST Voyager, and I've loved him on Atlantis, so it was great seeing him here. I loved how comfortable he was with Ducky, and it made me wonder - is Ducky a top like Ziva or a sub? Hmmmm?
Speaking of which, her scene with Teyla was just so heart-breaking, and then when she talked with Tim and then cuddled up with him, my heart just melted. I hope she finds her way, and that Tim gets his fantasy fulfilled.
Speaking of fantasies - poor Tony! He just wants Gibbs so much and is trying so hard, and it doesn't seem to be getting through his Top's head that they'd be very, very good together. I hope that Ducky's words will make Gibbs think about it more. And I loved the scene at the end of this chapter, with Gibbs taking Tony down through the spanking, and Tony just accepting it and getting into his sub space. I bet that surprised Gibbs, from his reaction. Here's hoping they get together soon!
As for the mystery, it just grows more mysterious. I'd like to say poor Jennifer but I've developed an antipathy toward the character with the way they're handling her on SGA, so I was almost relieved that she died. Of course, now I'm completely stumped as to the motivation or the possible killer.
Can't wait for tomorrow's installment!
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 05:25 pm (UTC)I'm glad you're stumped though. I really hope the mystery thing is a surprise to everyone. I think it will be...
And yes re Gibbs being surprised by Tony's reaction to the spanking - he wasn't expecting that was he? Heh - serves him right *g*.
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 04:30 pm (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 05:25 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 05:03 pm (UTC)I will (semi-) patiently wait for more......
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 05:27 pm (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 05:10 pm (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 05:27 pm (UTC)And LOL! More tomorrow!
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 05:18 pm (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 05:30 pm (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 05:20 pm (UTC)Beautiful spanking scene, I loved it from Tony's pov
We haven't seen a lot of John and Rodney but I am getting a bad feeling about Rodney.
Looking forward to more.
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 05:31 pm (UTC)Thanks re the spanking scene - I really enjoyed that far *too* much *g*
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 05:30 pm (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 05:32 pm (UTC)no subject
on Oct. 21st, 2008 05:31 pm (UTC)I SO totally knew you were going to make DiNozzo the other half of Gibbs... the prophecy! YAY!
I love how protective Lorne is being of Abby... if he's not the killer (I don't think he is... you can't possibly be THAT mean!) then she may have found her perect top... piercings here she comes!
I think it was Steven and the weird smell Carson thought he smelled was a faint oder of whatever he used to start the fire... but what about the sound? maybe he put his jacket on the back of the chair before getting back in bed and it fell off a few minutes later. hmmm, but then why would he burn up his own ship? Split personality maybe? another Goa'uld in him? hehe this is like a really good mystery novel! You're good!
I am so enjoying this! but... as you can probably tell by my oh so wrong thought above... I'm not very good at figuring out 'who-done-it's' but I love taking the ride!
Can't wait for the next three chapters tomorrow!
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 05:33 pm (UTC)And of COURSE Tony is a Sedahl to Gibbs's Yedahl. Hee.
Love the thing about baby steps. Bless them! And I'm not even gonna comment on Lorne *g*
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 05:38 pm (UTC)This story is really brightening up my week!
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 07:36 pm (UTC)And yeah - poor Keller. It had to be done...
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 06:09 pm (UTC)Interesting stuff on the NCIS bunch. Teyla being her observant self and Gibbs really needs to listen to advice, but he's so much like John in that way. Funny, getting jealous at Carson even eyeing Tony, when all it was was docterly concern.
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on Oct. 21st, 2008 07:48 pm (UTC)