Fic: Raining in Baltimore 34/34 - Epilogue
Fandom: NCIS
Title: Raining in Baltimore - Chapter 34 - Epilogue
Author: Starbucks Sue
Genre: General
Rating: FRT
Characters: Jethro Gibbs, Anthony DiNozzo
Summary: On a cold November morning Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs travels to Baltimore when two recent murders appear to tie in with his current case. Offering a joint investigation, Gibbs has to work with a young Baltimore Detective called Anthony DiNozzo.
Disclaimer: NCIS and the characters portrayed in this story do not belong to me and no copyright infringement is intended.
As Tony shut the apartment door for the last time he felt no sadness at leaving the place where he had lived for the past two years. Reflecting on his time in Baltimore he realized that his only regret was that he had never had the chance to thank Pete for the friendship and encouragement he had given the still traumatized young detective on his arrival at Baltimore. He had never spoken to Pete of what happened at Philly but he realized now that Pete had known something bad had happened to him when he’d taken him under his wing two years ago.
He handed the keys over to the landlord, suddenly anxious to get out and away from the city, it wasn’t that he didn’t like Baltimore, but for the time being the city had been spoiled for him, he would come back on another occasion, when the scars had healed and the memories weren’t so painful, but for now he was happy to leave.
In the six days since they’d closed the case he and Gibbs had rarely been apart. They’d gone home on the Sunday evening, ordering takeout on the way so it would arrive soon after they got home and they’d had a peaceful and relaxing evening, with Gibbs working on the boat and Tony watching a basketball game on Gibbs small television. It had been just what Tony needed and he’d finally managed to get a really good nights’ sleep.
They’d returned to Baltimore PD on the Monday morning, Tony deciding to take up Gibbs offer of getting the visit over and done with. There hadn’t been many people in the bullpen much to Tony’s relief and those who were there had kept a low profile after Gibbs walked into the room with the kind of look on his face that promised death to anyone attempting to take a crack at Tony. The former detective had signed all the paperwork and Captain Hale had thanked him and wished him well and that was it, another chapter of his life was closed.
But NCIS and Washington were a new start, a whole new ballgame. For the first time in his life Tony was going somewhere he was wanted, needed, it wasn’t something the young man was used to but he liked the feeling, it eased a hurt inside him and filled the cold, empty void that he had lived with for a long time.
He had thought he would have to commute from Baltimore to DC until he found a place to live; having to give four weeks’ notice on the small apartment so he could get the deposit back before he could look for a new place closer to the Navy Yard. But once again Gibbs had stepped in offering a roof over his head for as long as he needed, meaning Tony could take the time to find an apartment he really wanted rather than going for the first available out of necessity. As Gibbs had reminded him, he’d been living with the him for two weeks after all, what difference would a few more make.
The rest of the week had flown by with daily practice sessions at the shooting range, filling out paperwork, taking the medical and physical tests and then on Friday morning the psychological evaluation, which thanks to Gibbs and the talks they’d had in the evenings, he passed with flying colors, in the afternoon came the firearms test which to his pride he aced, with Gibbs watching proudly in the background. The final good news had been Ducky’s announcement that the stitches had healed well enough that he could drive again, so Gibbs agreed they would take his truck up to Baltimore to pick up Tony’s car and all his belongings from the furnished apartment which could be stored in Gibbs’ garage until such time as Tony found a new apartment.
After handing the keys over to the landlord Tony walked out of the main doors into the drizzle of the overcast Baltimore afternoon expecting Gibbs to have loaded the final bags and be gone, but the older man was standing waiting for him patiently, on his six just as he had promised he would be. A warm feeling of gratitude and affection ran through Tony as he reflected on the time he’d spent with the older man. Three weeks ago he’d felt abandoned, lost and alone with his grief and anger, stuck in a city where no-one wanted or understood him. Now he was leaving for a new job and a new life. For a new boss who had seen him at his worst, who knew his background and the issues he had carried alone for so long and had still chosen him for his team. Tony didn’t kid himself that it was going to be easy going; he knew Gibbs was a difficult person to work for, he’d heard enough talk at NCIS and from the man himself that he could be a bastard and Tony knew that despite everything that had happened in the past three weeks that Gibbs wouldn’t coddle him. But the young man knew that underneath the gruff exterior was a man who cared deeply about his people, who would support them to the ends of the earth and protect them with his life. Gibbs was stable and dependable which was just what Tony needed.
“You ready to go?” Gibbs asked quietly as Tony joined him, throwing the final bags into the front seat of his Corvette which was parked next to Gibbs’ loaded truck.
Tony nodded without hesitation. “Yeah, I’m ready. I think I’ve been ready for this move for a long time.” He grinned wryly at the older man; there was no uncertainty about this, he knew this was the right move for him, there was a lot he could learn from Gibbs and for the first time in his life he had someone he trusted to see behind the mask to the person he was underneath, it gave him a sense of belonging and he felt protected in a way that he’d never known before.
“Let’s get going then, by the time we get back and get unpacked it’ll be time to call for pizza.” Gibbs grinned as he reached out and ruffled Tony’s hair before climbing into his truck and starting the engine. Tony took one last look around before getting into the Corvette, he wouldn’t miss this place, it had been somewhere to live, a roof over his head, but that had been it. As he drove out of the parking lot Tony had a strange feeling that, at last, he was on his way home.
The sequel to this story - A Long December - can be found here: Prologue
Title: Raining in Baltimore - Chapter 34 - Epilogue
Author: Starbucks Sue
Genre: General
Rating: FRT
Characters: Jethro Gibbs, Anthony DiNozzo
Summary: On a cold November morning Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs travels to Baltimore when two recent murders appear to tie in with his current case. Offering a joint investigation, Gibbs has to work with a young Baltimore Detective called Anthony DiNozzo.
Disclaimer: NCIS and the characters portrayed in this story do not belong to me and no copyright infringement is intended.
As Tony shut the apartment door for the last time he felt no sadness at leaving the place where he had lived for the past two years. Reflecting on his time in Baltimore he realized that his only regret was that he had never had the chance to thank Pete for the friendship and encouragement he had given the still traumatized young detective on his arrival at Baltimore. He had never spoken to Pete of what happened at Philly but he realized now that Pete had known something bad had happened to him when he’d taken him under his wing two years ago.
He handed the keys over to the landlord, suddenly anxious to get out and away from the city, it wasn’t that he didn’t like Baltimore, but for the time being the city had been spoiled for him, he would come back on another occasion, when the scars had healed and the memories weren’t so painful, but for now he was happy to leave.
In the six days since they’d closed the case he and Gibbs had rarely been apart. They’d gone home on the Sunday evening, ordering takeout on the way so it would arrive soon after they got home and they’d had a peaceful and relaxing evening, with Gibbs working on the boat and Tony watching a basketball game on Gibbs small television. It had been just what Tony needed and he’d finally managed to get a really good nights’ sleep.
They’d returned to Baltimore PD on the Monday morning, Tony deciding to take up Gibbs offer of getting the visit over and done with. There hadn’t been many people in the bullpen much to Tony’s relief and those who were there had kept a low profile after Gibbs walked into the room with the kind of look on his face that promised death to anyone attempting to take a crack at Tony. The former detective had signed all the paperwork and Captain Hale had thanked him and wished him well and that was it, another chapter of his life was closed.
But NCIS and Washington were a new start, a whole new ballgame. For the first time in his life Tony was going somewhere he was wanted, needed, it wasn’t something the young man was used to but he liked the feeling, it eased a hurt inside him and filled the cold, empty void that he had lived with for a long time.
He had thought he would have to commute from Baltimore to DC until he found a place to live; having to give four weeks’ notice on the small apartment so he could get the deposit back before he could look for a new place closer to the Navy Yard. But once again Gibbs had stepped in offering a roof over his head for as long as he needed, meaning Tony could take the time to find an apartment he really wanted rather than going for the first available out of necessity. As Gibbs had reminded him, he’d been living with the him for two weeks after all, what difference would a few more make.
The rest of the week had flown by with daily practice sessions at the shooting range, filling out paperwork, taking the medical and physical tests and then on Friday morning the psychological evaluation, which thanks to Gibbs and the talks they’d had in the evenings, he passed with flying colors, in the afternoon came the firearms test which to his pride he aced, with Gibbs watching proudly in the background. The final good news had been Ducky’s announcement that the stitches had healed well enough that he could drive again, so Gibbs agreed they would take his truck up to Baltimore to pick up Tony’s car and all his belongings from the furnished apartment which could be stored in Gibbs’ garage until such time as Tony found a new apartment.
After handing the keys over to the landlord Tony walked out of the main doors into the drizzle of the overcast Baltimore afternoon expecting Gibbs to have loaded the final bags and be gone, but the older man was standing waiting for him patiently, on his six just as he had promised he would be. A warm feeling of gratitude and affection ran through Tony as he reflected on the time he’d spent with the older man. Three weeks ago he’d felt abandoned, lost and alone with his grief and anger, stuck in a city where no-one wanted or understood him. Now he was leaving for a new job and a new life. For a new boss who had seen him at his worst, who knew his background and the issues he had carried alone for so long and had still chosen him for his team. Tony didn’t kid himself that it was going to be easy going; he knew Gibbs was a difficult person to work for, he’d heard enough talk at NCIS and from the man himself that he could be a bastard and Tony knew that despite everything that had happened in the past three weeks that Gibbs wouldn’t coddle him. But the young man knew that underneath the gruff exterior was a man who cared deeply about his people, who would support them to the ends of the earth and protect them with his life. Gibbs was stable and dependable which was just what Tony needed.
“You ready to go?” Gibbs asked quietly as Tony joined him, throwing the final bags into the front seat of his Corvette which was parked next to Gibbs’ loaded truck.
Tony nodded without hesitation. “Yeah, I’m ready. I think I’ve been ready for this move for a long time.” He grinned wryly at the older man; there was no uncertainty about this, he knew this was the right move for him, there was a lot he could learn from Gibbs and for the first time in his life he had someone he trusted to see behind the mask to the person he was underneath, it gave him a sense of belonging and he felt protected in a way that he’d never known before.
“Let’s get going then, by the time we get back and get unpacked it’ll be time to call for pizza.” Gibbs grinned as he reached out and ruffled Tony’s hair before climbing into his truck and starting the engine. Tony took one last look around before getting into the Corvette, he wouldn’t miss this place, it had been somewhere to live, a roof over his head, but that had been it. As he drove out of the parking lot Tony had a strange feeling that, at last, he was on his way home.
The sequel to this story - A Long December - can be found here: Prologue