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Tony sighed and closed his eyes as he lay back in his hospital bed. Ducky and Abby were both lecturing him at the same time. Gibbs was giving them the stink eyes, but otherwise staying silent from his spot holding up the wall. God forbid that he actually open his mouth, and help Tony out. Ziva and McGee were nowhere to be seen, and frankly Tony hoped that they stayed away. The bunch he had were bad enough. He supposed that he loved them… in some weird family way. Gibbs was the closest thing he had to a father. While he was great one on one, he sucked when it came to acknowledging Tony mattered to him to other people. He certainly wasn’t going to correct the pretty pretty Goth princess. The team definitely had a different sense of family than D was teaching him about.

He wondered where his lovers were. He hoped that they showed up soon. He heard Abby shriek and stomp her foot, and winced rubbing his temples. Fortunately Gibbs gave her a sour look and she quieted down slightly. Although she moved closer trying to hug him again. Shaking his head, Tony scowled at her. He wasn’t in the mood to be touched. Especially after she just got done making him feel like he’d gotten hurt on purpose.

He was tired of this bullshit where they acted like he wanted to get hurt, or tried to get hurt. He wasn’t reckless. It wasn’t his fault he was the best athlete on the team. Despite what Abby thought, Gibbs wasn’t even close to being physically able to keep up with him. McGee, while in better shape than he used to be still wasn’t as fast or agile as Tony was himself. Ziva might be able to keep up with him in short spurts, and definitely was more flexible, but couldn’t compete while he was chasing a damned suspect. What did they expect? For him to let the asshole get away so that their prides weren’t wounded? It was his fucking job to catch the dickhead who’d killed that woman. He didn’t know there was a partner, none of them had seen any sign that there was someone else involved. He was about to snap and start telling people off, when he heard his savior.

“Jesus, what the hell is wrong with you people? You can’t lay off for two seconds?” Opening his eyes, Tony saw one of his lovers, Brian O’Connor pushing his way past Abby and Ducky forcing them back. Turning his head slightly he saw his other lover, Dominic Toretto lean against the end of the bed. His big arms folded across his chest.

Tony turned his gaze away from Dom for a second when Brian took his hand and leaning over gave him a careful kiss trying not to aggravate his split lip. When he heard the rumble of Dom’s deep voice, Tony turned his attention back to see that he’d moved to help Gibbs hold to wall. Must be a big danger of falling in. Snorting Tony gave a little giggle, and realized the pain killers must have kicked in.

“So, Gibbs, what’s the damage?” Tony wanted to be insulted that Dom hadn’t asked him, but Brian was distracting him by running his fingers through his hair right at the moment. Damned bastard knew it was one of Tony’s weaknesses.

“No concussion if you can b’lieve it. Although they wanna keep him overnight to make sure one doesn’t come on, and is jus’ delayed or somethin’. Hurt his bad knee, and it’s pretty damned swollen. They did x-rays or a CT scan or somethin’ and determined there was no new damage. He just aggravated the old college injury pretty damn bad. He’ll be on crutches for a bit though. Twisted his ankle fortunately on the same leg. A couple of his ribs is a little sore. They gave him some drugs ‘cause of the knee, which is the worst injury. You’ll have to keep him off of it for a few days.”

Dom smirked and looked at Tony. “Oh, I don’t think that will be a problem at all.” Tony looked at Brian to see him grinning down at him, and heard himself giggle again. Damned fuckin drugs.

“Well if he’d be more careful these things wouldn’t happen! He always has to be showing off, and trying to make Ziva and Timmy look bad! Well this is what happens when you do Mister! You would think…”

“Hey! That will be about enough of that shit!” Abby stopped abruptly staring at the back of Brian’s head as the blonde hadn’t even turned to look at her as he snapped.

Tony could see Abby’s hands going to her hips behind Brian’s back, and knew a tantrum was about to erupt. “How dare you! I don’t know why you think you can just come in here and…”

“Jesus, Abs, give it up.” Blinking Tony turned to look at Gibbs in wonder. The pain meds must be stronger than he thought because surely Daddy hadn’t just scolded his precious pretty pretty Goth princess.

“Actually he did.” Brian said grinning and Tony looked at him confused as Dom chuckled. When he saw horrified look on Abby’s face, Tony turned his gaze to Dom who was grinning. Gibbs meanwhile looked equally amused, embarrassed, and resigned. “They must be really good drugs if you’ve lost your filter.” Brian quipped, and Dom huffed out a laugh as Gibbs snorted.

Tony watched Dom pull away from the wall and watched him move closer to Abby and Ducky. “I think it’s time for you two to leave. Ducky, while we know you mean well, I think you’ve lost sense of what the appropriate moment is for your lectures.”

When Abby started to argue, Dom stepped forward to put himself in her space. “Please don’t make me ask again. I know you think you’re his friend, but moments like this make me wonder if you have any idea what that word means. If you were really his friend you’d be more worried about how he’s feeling, and less worried about getting your little jibes in. Frankly, you’re a disgrace, and if I have my way you’ll be on your way out of more than just this hospital room. Unfortunately for you, I have quite a bit of say in the matter.”

Abby considered letting the waterworks start, but frankly she wasn’t sure that they would have any effect on the brute in front of her. Not only that, but she was more than a little afraid of the man, who she knew just had to be some kind of criminal no matter what his FBI file said. Sniffing she turned and stomped out, with Ducky trailing leaving his apologies hanging in the air behind him.

Sighing tired Tony let his eyes drift close, intending to just let them rest for a moment. Before he knew it though, he was fast asleep, Brian’s fingers still carding through his hair. When he opened his eyes back up, the room was dark, and he could hear the heavy breathing that told him Dom was somewhere close sleeping. Feeling a hand on his face, Tony turned his eyes toward the touch to see Brian smiling at him. “M’tired, B.” Tony muttered rubbing his cheek against Brian’s hand.

“So, go back to sleep.” Brian suggested speaking softly so as not to wake up Dom.

“S’not what I mean.” Tony muttered searching for the bed controls wanting to sit up. Handing him the control, Brian sat on the side of the bed taking his lover’s hand in his. “Aah. Is it that time?” He asked handing Tony the cup of water the nurse had left earlier. “You gonna tell me what’s been bouncing around in your head for the last few months?”

Tony sighs and leans his head back for a moment, turning his attention to watch Dom sleeping before looking back at Brian. “You can’t tell Dom. It’s already handled. I took care of it, and if he finds out… I don’t want him to get in trouble, and start a fuckin international incident killin’ the fuckin daughter of Mossad’s director.”

“This doesn’t sound good.” Brian said softly, his face tight with worry and anger.

Tony shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. “A few months back, you remember me telling you I was working on a domestic terrorist case? It was when Dom’s sister was gonna be in town and I had to skip out on dinner at the last second.”

Brian nods remembering his other partner’s hurt when Tony had bailed out on meeting his sister. He’d been convinced that he’d avoided meeting her, not believing the lame excuse Tony came up with. “So I take it you weren’t stuck reviewing tapes?”

Tony closed his eyes then turned to look at Brian, his eyes blazing with anger. “No, I was. See my partners decided they were tired of my voice, and turned off the volume on the radio. They thought that it was a joke. I informed Gibbs when I got back. He said the Director wanted proof. I spent all night going through the recordings. The director said it was a joke even with the proof, and I was overreacting.” Tony snorts and closes his eyes, too drained to see the anger on his partner’s face. “I was told to lighten up. That I’d gotten a little of my own medicine back, and didn’t like it. He told me I needed to grow up. I thought…. I thought maybe I had overreacted. I’ve been trying to… I can’t….”

Taking a deep breath, Tony opened his eyes again and squeezed Brian’s hand. “Every time I go out into the field it scares the shit out of me. Gibbs tries to make it me and him as much as he can but… It’s effecting the team. A week ago I was on lunch with him at the dinner, and I got a call. I don’t think I told you… that day I came to see you and D… You were working that bank robbing case?”

Tony paused to drink more water, watching Brian trying to follow the conversation. He waited until his lover seemed to remember the two incidents, which took place about 10 days apart, before continuing. “I ran into David Rossi. I hadn’t seen him in… shit. Since Senior got put in prison.” Seeing Brian frown, Tony realized he’d never told them who the FBI agent was that ended Anthony DiNozzo Senior’s widow scam. “Rossi was the one who put dear ol’ dad in prison. Senior killed the last one, after he panicked, and that drew the FBIs attention. Anyway, I saw him… David Rossi not him Senior… in the elevator, and he remembered me. We started talking… You know the ol’ how’s life been? What are you doing now? That kinda shit.”

Brian nods and moves to sit closer so he can play with Tony’s hair knowing it relaxes him. Tony hums happily before going on. “Anyway, Dave called me a week ago. Said they had an unexpected opening. One of their people went back to Interpol, and they’d been looking into my background. I guess their computer someone found out I’d just finished my Psychology Doctorate. They… they want me on their team, B. I told him I didn’t want to leave NCIS. That I was gonna push through, but… Fuck Bri I’m so fucking tired.”

Brian swallowed trying to move the lump out of the middle of his throat. “What happened today?”

“I don’t have proof.” Tony protested weakly, but Brian wasn’t going to let it go.

“What happened today?” He asked again, and Tony shifted restless not wanting to think about the ugly idea forming in his brain.

“I don’t…”

“What. Happened. Today?” Gently, Brian took Tony’s chin and turned his head making him look at him. “What happened today, Tony? Why did you get hurt?”

“I think they stopped running.” Tony whispered, his eyes shiny with tears that he refused to let fall. “I think they stopped running, and if Gibbs hadn’t come out of nowhere… Jesus I don’t even know how he caught up to me. If he hadn’t… I’d be dead Bri. The second guy, the one we didn’t know about. He had a gun. I’d lost mine in the fight. The first guy hit me in the side with a 2x4 and it was just hard enough I stumbled and… I’d be dead.”

Brian’s jaw clenched so hard he was afraid his teeth were gonna crack, but then Tony’s shoulders started shaking. His own emotions forgotten, Brian pulled his lover toward him as he looked at Dom. The fire in his open eyes told him he’d been awake for a while. Brian just hoped that one of them didn’t end up in prison.

Weeks later, Brian found himself pacing Fornell’s small office as Dom sprawled across a chair. “Jesus will you sit the fuck down?” Tobias sniped. “You’re making me dizzy.”

Huffing, Brian hopped up and sat on the counter above his boss’ filing drawers. “I’m nervous. If Tony doesn’t get this he’s gonna be crushed.

“Of course he’s gonna get it!” Tobias insisted at the same time that Dom drawled, “Will you relax?”

“He’s gonna get it. They’d be fools not to hire him, and Aaron Hotchner is no fool.” Brian nodded knowing his lover was right. Suddenly the door banged open, and the bright smile on Tony’s face answered the question they hadn’t even asked yet.

“I got it!”

Hours later, dinner filling their bellies, and good wine making everything a little hazy and a little extra bright, the three walked along the Potomac. “Jesus, I can’t believe I got it.” Tony half breathed, half laughed, and Brian bounced forward turning to grin happily at them. Dom moved to rest his arm across Tony’s shoulders chuckling deeply heating the blood in Tony’s veins. “Of course you got it. Christ what is it with you two?”

“You traitor!” Immediately Tony stiffened and his good mood vanished. Dom dropped his arm and started to move in front of his lover on instinct, but stopped when he felt the hand on his arm. Turning, Tony saw Abby stomping toward them and couldn’t stop the sigh. “You dirty no good traitor!” She shouted stomping up. Lifting her arm, Abby intended to hit him, but found herself face to face with an irate blonde.

Nervously her eyes shifted to the brute, but quickly it shifted back to the one she had pegged as harmless. “Shut up you fucking spoiled brat.”

“Brian,” Tony interrupted and Brian turned angry eyes toward his lover. “No! She doesn’t get to do this! She doesn’t get to ruin this evening for you. How the fuck did she even find us? She’s nothing but a self-centered brat who can’t see beyond her own whims and wants. The only people responsible for her little team getting broken up are those two jackasses who fucking STOPPED AND LEFT YOU TO ALMOST GET KILLED!”

Turning his eyes back to Abby Brian got back into her space, his face inches from hers. “You have the fucking balls to call yourself his friend, and yet you do nothing but look for reasons why he must be at fault. All because you’re a fucking dumbass who dumped a good guy, and now can’t move past it.

“Why you defend that backstabbing Mossad bitch I have no idea. What I do know is that you’re a horrible human being. Maybe you should fucking spend more time letting those damned nuns of your teach you about being a good person, and less time bowling. You don’t fucking deserve Tony.”

Tony felt Dom squeeze his shoulder before the older man stepped around him to pull the irate blonde back so that Tony could deal with Abby on his own.

Stepping forward Tony took Abby’s arm and pulled her away listening to Brian continue to rant at Dominic. He knew the larger man would be able to calm their lover. “How dare he!” Abby screeched, and Tony quickly turned his head to glare at her.

“Shut the fuck up, Abby.” When she started to huff in outrage, Tony just glared at her. This time he was the one putting himself in her space. He was tired of being the nice guy. It was time he laid all his cards on the table. “I don’t want to hear another word out of your mouth. Especially considering everything he said was true. You can be an incredibly loyal and loving person, unfortunately you’re also immature, self-centered, manipulative, and can have extreme tunnel-vision when it comes to things you don’t wanna see or believe.

“You were supposed to be my friend, Abby. You were supposed to be concerned that I was hurt. You were supposed to be upset that two people I trusted almost let me DIE because they wanted to be cute and petty. Those two assholes were gonna kill me. The gun was pointed right at me.

“You were supposed to be upset that YOU missed that there was a second set of DNA in the blood sample that YOU processed. THAT is what a friend would do. They worry about the people they care about. They don’t immediately look to see how they can make it someone else’s fault. You’re not a good friend, Abby. Hell you’re no kind of friend. I’ve had enemies who have treated me better than you. Fuck, Kort tried to kill me, but he still calls me a couple times a year to see how things are.

“If you want Ziva and Tim to still be your family, shit, have at it! It’s not my fault that you’re doing it without me. OR that you’re doing it without Gibbs. Hell the second one baffles me as much as you probably, but I appreciate his support. See it’s what friends do. It’s what FAMILIES do, Abby.”

Shaking his head Tony took a step away running a hand through his hair. “Right now, you’re not a good person. You’re definitely not someone I want in my life. I pity you, because I don’t think you’ll ever move past this little girl who’s been done wrong thing you have goin’ on. The thing is… you’re no kind of victim. You made your bed. You and Ziva and McGee deserve the punishments you got. Vance… Vance was supposed to be the Director of NCIS. He was supposed to look out for the better of the entire agency. Instead he let his personal feelings get involved, and allowed them to cloud his judgment. That’s why he’s been replaced. Hell, he at least has recognized he messed up, and actually apologized to me for it. You can’t even fathom that you POSSIBLY did anything wrong.”

Stepping backward Tony stopped and looked to see where Dom and Brian were watching him before turning his eyes back to Abby. “Leave me alone, Abby. I won’t tell you again. In the morning I will be notifying my boss that you’re stalking me. I will also let him know that I believe you are using NCIS resources to do it.”

Turning Tony started to walk away, but stopped and turned back to Abby who was watching him with stunned disbelief. “OH! I nearly forgot. I made a new friend. She wanted me to give you a message. I quote… ‘The Black Queen wants you to know that you’ve made her naughty list. She will be coming for you.’ I’ve been holding her off, but suddenly….. I think I’m gonna tell her to do her worst. Goodbye, Abby, and good luck. I think you’re gonna need it.”

Turning, Tony headed back to the arms of his lovers, letting their comfort soothe the ache of his loss. Eventually soothing let do passion, and the three men decided they needed to hurry home.

Later that evening, Tony closed his eyes letting the sensations wash over him. Dom behind. Brian underneath. Dom’s thick cock stretching him. Brian’s wet hot mouth sliding up and down his shaft. His hands clenched and unclenched the Egyptian cotton sheets they laid on. He’d wanted for so long… He’d hurt for so long. Never believing that he’d get anything good let alone something like these two. “Jesus,” he half swore, half prayed not sure which he meant more.

Dom’s teeth sank into his shoulder. His fingers squeezing Tony’s sides hard enough he knew there would be marks in the morning. Brian’s hands played with his balls making Tony want to curl his toes as he felt the end rushing at him. His shout blending in with Dom’s. He felt Dom pull out, and rolling to one side on their California King, he half watched as Dominic sucked off Brian. Tony’s hand lazily running over Dom’s back.

This moment. This right here. This was worth it all. The backstabbing. The pain. The empty promises of a dysfunctional nonexistent family. This was worth everything he’d suffered at NCIS.

The End