New NCIS Fic: After About Face
Title: After About Face
Fandom: NCIS
Series: The Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer
Characters: Tony DiNozzo, Maddie Tyler and the team
Prompts:For 12_stories#8 Together
Word Count: 1032
Rating: K+
Summary: “Listen to the words of the songs; I think they may explain what I can’t.”
Author's Notes: The first in a series of post-eps from Requiem to Judgment Day focusing on a budding relationship between Tony (the bachelor) and Maddie (the bobbysoxer)
Why, you may well ask. 1.) The first time I watched “Requiem” I was struck by Tony’s line about wanting to get to know Maddie. The line was supposed to be leering and obnoxious, but Tony has grown a lot the last year and I thought it would be interesting if there was a relationship between them. By the next morning, I’d talked myself into being a huge Tony/Maddie shipper. Granted it is a dingy surrounded by aircraft carriers in the NCIS shipper’s ocean, but I’m always up for a challenge. 2.) My parents had a nearly twenty year age difference and were the happiest couple I ever knew, so I believe it works and like to explore it in fics.
“Who’s that with Tony?”
Ziva didn’t even look up to answer Jimmy Palmer’s question, “Maddie Tyler.”
“Your Maddie Tyler,” Abby asked Gibbs in wide eyed amazement.
Gibbs eyes swept across the nearly deserted bar, locking onto the people in question, “She’s not my Maddie Tyler, Abs. She’s her own person.”
“I don’t know, it looks like she’s Tony’s Maddie Tyler,” McGee gestured to the bar where they had stopped to get drinks.
With their backs to the table it was clear that they had their arms wrapped around each other. Tony’s arm was draped around her shoulders, while her arm transverse his back and her hand was tucked in the back pocket of his jeans. Even as they turned from collecting the drinks, they remained wrapped together as they made their way towards the table where the team was sitting.
“Palmer,” Tony happily exclaimed as they neared the table. “How did you find a bar like this? The wooden dance floor, the grizzled barkeep, the ancient jukebox. It’s like the bar in Road House, before Patrick Swayze beats the crap out of it.”
“You are no Patrick Swayze, Tone,” Maddie teased with a wink up at Tony.
Rolling his eyes, Tony nudged her, “Everyone, you might remember Maddie Tyler. Mads, the team.”
“Good to see you all again.” Maddie quickly moved to give Gibbs a small peck on the cheek, “Hi, Jethro.”
Standing, Gibbs pulled out the car next to him, “Hey, Maddie.”
With a small clearing of his throat, Tony sat in the chair on the other side of Maddie, “Okay, I’m sure that you all have a million questions for us, but I just want to toast Palmer first. Jimmy, what you did today was incredibly stupid and reckless. It was also enormously brave and I was very proud of you. Now, don’t do anything like that ever again. Okay?”
“Okay,” Jimmy agreed a proud, yet embarrassed grin gracing his face.
“To Mr. Palmer,” Ducky raised his glass and everyone else followed suit.
A few more words of praise and teasing admonishment flowed in Jimmy’s direction before Abby could no longer contain herself. Leaning across Gibbs, she asked Maddie, “How long have you been together?”
“That is a really easy question with a really hard answer and it all depends on your definition of together,” Maddie laughed as she also leaned closer to Abby.
Abby shrugged, “Well, I don’t know about the boys and Ziva, but I’m on my third Red Bull and Vodka, so I’ve got all night. Well, except for potty breaks.”
Maddie laughed again, before starting the tale, “I am the world’s worst cook. One of the best things I do is coffee and that is so bad Jethro won’t even drink it.”
Abby turned to Gibbs, who nodded his head in confirmation, and then turned astonished eyes back to Maddie.
“Yup, I can’t cook. But sometimes a lack of a skill can be beneficial. I mean if I could cook, then I wouldn’t have given Tony food poisoning, I wouldn’t have spent the weekend taking care of him, we wouldn’t have found out all the things we have in common, we wouldn’t have become friends and we wouldn’t have fallen in love.”
“You gave him food poisoning,” McGee asked the question with laughter in his voice.
“Yup,” Maddie turned and smiled at Tony, “a terrible case of it. In the end, it worked out for the best.”
Leaning towards her, Tony gave her a soft kiss on the lips, “It would have happened anyhow. While you tell them about how we like the same movies, TV show, and music and how we go to car shows and riding competitions together; and they all sit there flabbergasted that you’ve got me horseback riding, I’m going to check out the jukebox.”
“Okay,” she smiled as she returned the kiss.
After making his way across the empty dance floor, Tony stood slowly flipping through the song collection just waiting. As he could have predicted, soon he felt a familiar presence next to him. “This is impressive, Boss. It’s a ‘two songs for a quarter’ box, but it has some really new and different stuff.”
“I don’t care about the jukebox, Tony.”
“I know.” Memorizing the numbers of the two songs he wanted, Tony turned and looked at his boss, “What I’m not sure about is if you care about Maddie. Or if you look at her, see your eight year old daughter and want me as far away from her as possible. Truthfully, I understand. I love Maddie and am terrified of hurting her, but she’s not eight or eighteen. She’s young, a lot younger than me, but she’s lived a lot in her few years. I think she might be the only person, besides you, who really understands me and knows me. I know that I’m the only person who knows and understands her. No matter what, know I love her and she loves me. Listen to the words of the songs; I think they may explain what I can’t.” With that, and not waiting for a reply, he slipped a quarter into the machine and punched two three digit numbers into the keypad.
After just the first few notes started playing, Maddie turned in her seat and looked at Tony. Moving to the middle of the dance floor, he opened his arms and almost instantly she was in them. The song obviously meant something special to them and slowly, they moved to the melody. When the singer started, Gibbs found himself concentrating on the words.
You're my best friend
And I haven't got many
But I would do anything for you
I got problems
But I ain't stuck for answers
Cause chances are
You'll know what to do
I'm only human
I still forget
The wrong from the right
But you haven't held it
Against me yet
Even when we fight
I get mixed up
Frightened of failing
And just as afraid
When dreams come true
And there you are
As far from disaster
As that old man
Up in the moon
You're my best friend
And I haven't got many
But I would do anything for you
When the wind blows
Those rainclouds above me
Nobody loves me
Like you do
You're my best friend
When the song ended, Tony was facing Gibbs, who nodded slowly. Tony smiled, knowing that Gibbs understood the importance of their relationship.
Suddenly, the music changed to something completely different. Gibbs found himself laughing as Tony swept Maddie up into his arms and began dancing to the more up-tempo country song. Still, the words caught him and resonated.
She ain't your ordinary
She ain't your ordinary girl
She don't love carelessly that's what I've always heard
'Can't use the usual lines she measures every word
No empty promises proof is what it takes to win her heart
The truth and nothing less, simple things that set her far apart
Save your diamonds and your furs she's not your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary, no she's not
She ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary, oh no
She ain't your ordinary girl
No midnight alibis, no foolish games for her
And if you cross the line you'll get what you deserve
But when you see her smile nothing seems to matter anymore
And in a little while you'll feel like you've never felt before
Like no other in the world, she's not your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary, no she's not
She ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary, oh no
She ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary
She ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary
She ain't your ordinary girl
Save your diamonds and your furs, she ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary
She ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary
She ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary
She ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary
She ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary
She ain't your ordinary girl
When the song finished, Tony and Maddie staggered back to the table and collapsed into the chairs they had vacated earlier. The rest of the team greeted them with laughter and applause, but Gibbs just gave them a small smile and nod. He approved.
Author Notes 2: “Best Friend” by Jude Johnstone and A. Johnson from the “Blue Light” album that can be heard at http://www.bojakrecords.com/ - great album!
“She Ain’t Your Ordinary Girl” by Alabama from the “For the Record” album it can be heard at http://www.last.fm/music/Alabama/_/She+Ain't+Your+Ordinary+Girl - I want this as my ringtone.
Fandom: NCIS
Series: The Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer
Characters: Tony DiNozzo, Maddie Tyler and the team
Prompts:For 12_stories#8 Together
Word Count: 1032
Rating: K+
Summary: “Listen to the words of the songs; I think they may explain what I can’t.”
Author's Notes: The first in a series of post-eps from Requiem to Judgment Day focusing on a budding relationship between Tony (the bachelor) and Maddie (the bobbysoxer)
Why, you may well ask. 1.) The first time I watched “Requiem” I was struck by Tony’s line about wanting to get to know Maddie. The line was supposed to be leering and obnoxious, but Tony has grown a lot the last year and I thought it would be interesting if there was a relationship between them. By the next morning, I’d talked myself into being a huge Tony/Maddie shipper. Granted it is a dingy surrounded by aircraft carriers in the NCIS shipper’s ocean, but I’m always up for a challenge. 2.) My parents had a nearly twenty year age difference and were the happiest couple I ever knew, so I believe it works and like to explore it in fics.
“Who’s that with Tony?”
Ziva didn’t even look up to answer Jimmy Palmer’s question, “Maddie Tyler.”
“Your Maddie Tyler,” Abby asked Gibbs in wide eyed amazement.
Gibbs eyes swept across the nearly deserted bar, locking onto the people in question, “She’s not my Maddie Tyler, Abs. She’s her own person.”
“I don’t know, it looks like she’s Tony’s Maddie Tyler,” McGee gestured to the bar where they had stopped to get drinks.
With their backs to the table it was clear that they had their arms wrapped around each other. Tony’s arm was draped around her shoulders, while her arm transverse his back and her hand was tucked in the back pocket of his jeans. Even as they turned from collecting the drinks, they remained wrapped together as they made their way towards the table where the team was sitting.
“Palmer,” Tony happily exclaimed as they neared the table. “How did you find a bar like this? The wooden dance floor, the grizzled barkeep, the ancient jukebox. It’s like the bar in Road House, before Patrick Swayze beats the crap out of it.”
“You are no Patrick Swayze, Tone,” Maddie teased with a wink up at Tony.
Rolling his eyes, Tony nudged her, “Everyone, you might remember Maddie Tyler. Mads, the team.”
“Good to see you all again.” Maddie quickly moved to give Gibbs a small peck on the cheek, “Hi, Jethro.”
Standing, Gibbs pulled out the car next to him, “Hey, Maddie.”
With a small clearing of his throat, Tony sat in the chair on the other side of Maddie, “Okay, I’m sure that you all have a million questions for us, but I just want to toast Palmer first. Jimmy, what you did today was incredibly stupid and reckless. It was also enormously brave and I was very proud of you. Now, don’t do anything like that ever again. Okay?”
“Okay,” Jimmy agreed a proud, yet embarrassed grin gracing his face.
“To Mr. Palmer,” Ducky raised his glass and everyone else followed suit.
A few more words of praise and teasing admonishment flowed in Jimmy’s direction before Abby could no longer contain herself. Leaning across Gibbs, she asked Maddie, “How long have you been together?”
“That is a really easy question with a really hard answer and it all depends on your definition of together,” Maddie laughed as she also leaned closer to Abby.
Abby shrugged, “Well, I don’t know about the boys and Ziva, but I’m on my third Red Bull and Vodka, so I’ve got all night. Well, except for potty breaks.”
Maddie laughed again, before starting the tale, “I am the world’s worst cook. One of the best things I do is coffee and that is so bad Jethro won’t even drink it.”
Abby turned to Gibbs, who nodded his head in confirmation, and then turned astonished eyes back to Maddie.
“Yup, I can’t cook. But sometimes a lack of a skill can be beneficial. I mean if I could cook, then I wouldn’t have given Tony food poisoning, I wouldn’t have spent the weekend taking care of him, we wouldn’t have found out all the things we have in common, we wouldn’t have become friends and we wouldn’t have fallen in love.”
“You gave him food poisoning,” McGee asked the question with laughter in his voice.
“Yup,” Maddie turned and smiled at Tony, “a terrible case of it. In the end, it worked out for the best.”
Leaning towards her, Tony gave her a soft kiss on the lips, “It would have happened anyhow. While you tell them about how we like the same movies, TV show, and music and how we go to car shows and riding competitions together; and they all sit there flabbergasted that you’ve got me horseback riding, I’m going to check out the jukebox.”
“Okay,” she smiled as she returned the kiss.
After making his way across the empty dance floor, Tony stood slowly flipping through the song collection just waiting. As he could have predicted, soon he felt a familiar presence next to him. “This is impressive, Boss. It’s a ‘two songs for a quarter’ box, but it has some really new and different stuff.”
“I don’t care about the jukebox, Tony.”
“I know.” Memorizing the numbers of the two songs he wanted, Tony turned and looked at his boss, “What I’m not sure about is if you care about Maddie. Or if you look at her, see your eight year old daughter and want me as far away from her as possible. Truthfully, I understand. I love Maddie and am terrified of hurting her, but she’s not eight or eighteen. She’s young, a lot younger than me, but she’s lived a lot in her few years. I think she might be the only person, besides you, who really understands me and knows me. I know that I’m the only person who knows and understands her. No matter what, know I love her and she loves me. Listen to the words of the songs; I think they may explain what I can’t.” With that, and not waiting for a reply, he slipped a quarter into the machine and punched two three digit numbers into the keypad.
After just the first few notes started playing, Maddie turned in her seat and looked at Tony. Moving to the middle of the dance floor, he opened his arms and almost instantly she was in them. The song obviously meant something special to them and slowly, they moved to the melody. When the singer started, Gibbs found himself concentrating on the words.
You're my best friend
And I haven't got many
But I would do anything for you
I got problems
But I ain't stuck for answers
Cause chances are
You'll know what to do
I'm only human
I still forget
The wrong from the right
But you haven't held it
Against me yet
Even when we fight
I get mixed up
Frightened of failing
And just as afraid
When dreams come true
And there you are
As far from disaster
As that old man
Up in the moon
You're my best friend
And I haven't got many
But I would do anything for you
When the wind blows
Those rainclouds above me
Nobody loves me
Like you do
You're my best friend
When the song ended, Tony was facing Gibbs, who nodded slowly. Tony smiled, knowing that Gibbs understood the importance of their relationship.
Suddenly, the music changed to something completely different. Gibbs found himself laughing as Tony swept Maddie up into his arms and began dancing to the more up-tempo country song. Still, the words caught him and resonated.
She ain't your ordinary
She ain't your ordinary girl
She don't love carelessly that's what I've always heard
'Can't use the usual lines she measures every word
No empty promises proof is what it takes to win her heart
The truth and nothing less, simple things that set her far apart
Save your diamonds and your furs she's not your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary, no she's not
She ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary, oh no
She ain't your ordinary girl
No midnight alibis, no foolish games for her
And if you cross the line you'll get what you deserve
But when you see her smile nothing seems to matter anymore
And in a little while you'll feel like you've never felt before
Like no other in the world, she's not your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary, no she's not
She ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary, oh no
She ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary
She ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary
She ain't your ordinary girl
Save your diamonds and your furs, she ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary
She ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary
She ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary
She ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary
She ain't your ordinary girl
She ain't your ordinary
She ain't your ordinary girl
When the song finished, Tony and Maddie staggered back to the table and collapsed into the chairs they had vacated earlier. The rest of the team greeted them with laughter and applause, but Gibbs just gave them a small smile and nod. He approved.
Author Notes 2: “Best Friend” by Jude Johnstone and A. Johnson from the “Blue Light” album that can be heard at http://www.bojakrecords.com/ - great album!
“She Ain’t Your Ordinary Girl” by Alabama from the “For the Record” album it can be heard at http://www.last.fm/music/Alabama/_/She+Ain't+Your+Ordinary+Girl - I want this as my ringtone.