The Angels series
Final part of my two parter.

Title: Kendreague
Genre: Angst/Romance/supernatural (NOT the TV series)
Rating: R
Pairing: Gibbs/DiNozzo
Disclaimer: None of the CBS characters of NCIS belong to me and I'm making no money from this.
Summary: "If your hands were in mine, I'd be sure they would not sever, My apple tree, my brightness, its time we were together." Part 2/2



Kendreague

Previously:

“I…” Gibbs inhaled sharply and tried again, his mind in disarray as flashes of past memories flew in, “I…every year…every year I try to…I lost…”

Tony felt his eyes burn as Gibbs backed away a little. He blinked back any of the itchiness he felt in the tear ducts at seeing Gibbs pull away from him…

…Again.

Gibbs’s hand twitched as though he wanted to raise it and finally he managed to breath out a question.

“My Angel?”

Part 2/2

Both men were frozen where they stood, neither moving forwards nor backwards and simply staring at one another: One in shock, one in a blind panic.

Tony cursed himself in several languages mentally for not being more careful, for revealing himself to someone who had, for all intents and purposes, banished him from their precense. So much he wanted to move towards Gibbs, towards Jethro but the memory of their last encounter as boy and angel still rang throughout his mind, the pain of it too much sometimes that he indulged in extremely stupid mortal dalliances.

“Tony? Anthony, my…” Gibbs faltered on his sentence and Tony had to resist wincing at the furtive shake of the other man’s head.

Well like the saying said, in for a penny in for a pound. Calmly Tony placed his bottle down on the nearest flat surface and then, for lack of anything better, he shoved his hands into his pockets to face Jethro.

“Hello Jethro,” he said in a painfully defeated tone.

“Jesus Christ,” Gibbs breathed out and Tony managed a small smirk.

“Blasphemy in front of an angel probably isn’t a good idea,” he joked weakly but quickly sobered when Jethro shook his head minutely.

“This isn’t…you can’t be real,” Gibbs said almost furiously and Tony had to close his eyes at the words.

’Just please don’t call me a ‘thing’ again, please,’ he thought desperately and clenched his hands still inside his pockets. Exhaling shakily Tony opened his eyes and carefully considered the man in front of him.

“I’m real, you can see me, you can touch me,” he watched as Jethro quickly headed to a seat and sat down heavily with his head buried in his hands, “You’ve been ‘feeling’ me all day.”

Blinking Gibbs slowly touched his chest and laid it out flat over his heartbeat. He could still feel that comforting warmth in his chest and let his wary glance flicker to Tony.

“Like a hug,” he mumbled but then quickly shook his head again, “But that isn’t possible, angels aren’t real!”

“Good thing I’m not a fairy, that could’ve killed me,” Tony mumbled quietly before speaking up again, “Says who? You? You believed in us…in me once.”

“I was a kid who had just lost his father, I’m pretty sure I would’ve believed anything if it made the pain go away,” Gibbs said angrily and glared at Tony. Tony straightened his back a little and looked down at Jethro. Gibbs had to marvel at how something in side of him cowed at the look of faint disappointment in those usually so careless and gentle eyes. Just like when he’d been a kid and Angel had disapproved of something he’d done.

“For six years?” Tony said quietly and Gibbs closed his hands into fists at the sadness tainting those words. He even felt the room change in temperature and glancing up again at Tony (who was looking down at the floor now distraught) he swallowed heavily.

“Say I believe you,” Tony looked up carefully at that point so Gibbs continued, “Say that you are indeed My Angel…why haven’t I felt you? Or the changes in your emotions, because I remember that happening. The entire room would change, I think I’d notice if it happened at work.”

Tony huffed out a humourless laugh and lifted one hand to his hair to run it through the strands.

“You stopped believing in me, you wouldn’t be able to ‘feel’ me until you believed again.”

“That can’t be right,” Gibbs said as he frowned and Tony looked at him quizzically.

“Why not?”

“Because the room just changed and I can’t believe in…in such things.”

Tony slowly lowered his hand and Gibbs had to look away from the tiny flicker of hope he saw in those hazel eyes. Clearing his throat he returned his gaze to the floor and leant forwards, his arms resting on his knees as he clasped his hands together.

“And…and you’re younger than me, but you were, back then, you were…” he looked up and gestured wildly at Tony, “You were like that!”

“I don’t age,” Tony faltered now and scrubbed the back of his head again, “well, I didn’t at least. Now I probably will.”

Gibbs shook his head again in confusion.

“Why?”

“I sort of…fell but not.” Tony winced at that explanation and wasn’t surprised when Jethro looked at him bemused.

“Excuse me?”

Sighing Tony moved forwards and dropped into the seat across from Jethro. Linking his fingers together he gathered himself, pulling his mindset out of his more mortal self and back into that of his heritage.

“You stopped believing in me Jethro, and I’m not entirely sure it was by choice. One day you loved me unconditionally and the next you were banishing me,” he said in the calm tone he was used to using from all those years ago and he watched as Jethro flinched.

“The thing is, I wanted to be with you then, to protect you through anything but there wasn’t going to be a way for me to do that without angering you further,” he raised a hand when Jethro made to cut him off, “Please, let me finish?”

Gibbs stared at him silently for a moment before he nodded once.

“So I,” he sighed, “Jethro, I couldn’t just leave you. Kahree angels, we were created to love and protect and we are forever linked to the same soul in all its lives from the moment that we are first joined. I’ve always loved you, to be apart would kill me emotionally, if not physically.”

“Kah…” Gibbs cleared his throat and tried again, “Kahree angels?”

He was trying not to feel his heart hammer at his chest at the thought of Tony dying because of his rejection and another part of him wanted to berate that same fear for actually beginning to believe Tony’s words. It was impossible, all of it, it had to be.

Funny how that argument seemed to be getting weaker inside of him.

“Yes, sorry, Kahree angel is basically guardian angel but in an older tongue. ‘To love’ I believe is the translation.”

“That makes it sound like there are different, you know, types of…you know…” Gibbs gestured towards Tony and Tony nodded solemnly.

“That’s because there are. Kahree is the overall name for guardians but there are different names for male and female guardians. I’m a Kendreague, ‘Loving male’, and females are Kariads, ‘beloveds’…are you still okay with this?” Tony said anxiously and Gibbs leaned back a little rubbing at his temple.

“Yeah, I need to have this make sense. Carry on,” he said in a voice just above a whisper and with another worried glance Tony continued.

“There are the muses that go by the name Aislinns, that basically translates as ‘Vision or inspiration’. They’re the ones who place the whispers of ideas in people’s heads but they aren’t assigned to one person. They feed off the level of energy coming from a person’s mind and help bring down the walls blocking the ideas.”

Tony stopped for a moment to gauge Jethro’s reaction but the man did seem calmer, if only minutely, to have information he could gather and analyze. That he could try to understand and study to create his own opinion. Taking a deep breath, he continued.

“Then of course you have the Warriors who defend Heaven when it is called upon.”

“Like an army?” Gibbs said looking up and Tony managed to chuckle lightly.

“Figured that’d get your attention, yeah like an army. Overall they’re called the Adalardo, ‘the Nobles’, but again there are different categories. There are the Saeths, Bowmen of Heaven if you will, and Cadmons who act as the Infantry. A Commanding Officer is known as the Caedmon, ‘Wise Warrior’ and the difference with these angels to say, ones like the Aislinns, is that when a human dies he can become a Cadmon.”

“What about you?” Gibbs said quietly and both men looked at each other, “Were you always like this or did you…”

“I was human once, such a long time ago now. Humans can become Kahrees and Cadmons but the muses, the Oracles, the Archangels, they’re all born as angels.”

Gibbs moaned and dropped his head forwards into his hands.

“This is too much at once isn’t it?” Tony said quietly and Gibbs sighed loudly.

“I don’t know, yes, no. But, you said you fell. I mean, Christ Tony, you were alive, you died, you were a, a…”

“Kendreague, and I still am.”

“What? But you said you fell. I was always taught that was when an angel was removed from Heaven,” Gibbs was frowning at him now and sighing equally as heavily as Jethro had a moment ago Tony leaned closer to him.

“I kind of fell. I wasn’t punished or removed from Heaven, I just decided that since I couldn’t protect you as an Ethereal being that I might as well do it as, as um, a human. It just means that I have to stay here on Earth until you die, in which my bonds to this Earth are then broken and I can return ho…back there.”

“But that means you’ve trapped yourself,” Gibbs said incredulously and Tony shook his head.

“No, I enjoy my life here. I chose to have it this way, I knew what I was doing.”

“You just can’t go home.”

Tony’s brow furrowed slightly at the saddened tone in Jethro’s voice and standing he put his hands back in his pockets and moved to stand beside Jethro’s seat.

“I can one day.”

“…So you’re completely human then? Right now?” Gibbs said looking up curiously at Tony and frowned again when Tony shifted nervously from one foot to another.

“Yes and no.”

“Can’t you give a straight answer?” Gibbs growled and Tony managed a weak smile at that. If Jethro was growling it meant he was getting some sort of equilibrium back.

“I can bleed, I can feel pain, and I can even come close to death. But I can’t die, not until you do. Just hurts like a bitch if I get shot.” He lowered himself down so he was crouching beside Jethro’s chair and greatly resisted reaching out to touch the man in front of him. Tony could still see that boy he loved so dearly in the grown man’s eyes but his love had evolved since then, matured and in some sense, become more human in some aspects.

Gibbs watched him silently, his eyes drifting around the handsome face like it had so many times before when he was just a boy and he felt his hand twitch as though to move towards Tony’s face. Something flickered across his thoughts and he glanced at Tony’s shoulders.

“Do you still have wings?” he whispered and Tony swallowed as he stood again.

“Yes but…not today Jethro, you’ve received too much of a shock already. I don’t…don’t push me away again, please?”

Gibbs scrubbed both his hands down his face and rubbed tiredly at the corner of one.

“I need to process this all,” he said and Tony nodded despite the itchy feeling of tears in his eyes as he did so. Breathing in deeply he stepped back.

“Of course. I’ll be in work tomorrow but, if you need me before then…”

“Summon you?” Gibbs said and Tony chuckled a little wetly. Putting his hand to his face he closed it into a fist but extended his pinkie finger and thumb in an imitation of a phone.

“Or call me, some of us angels are in with the times.”

Tony smiled when it had the desired effect of making Jethro laugh, even if it was weakly. Stepping back again he watched Jethro with a look of pure love and understanding before he closed his own eyes when Jethro blinked.

“Tony…” Gibbs looked up but was let with nothing but an empty room. Sitting there for a moment longer Gibbs then fell back into his seat and groaned loudly.

……………………………………………………………….

Gibbs banged loudly on the door in front of him and paced as he waited. He pulled his coat tighter round him and bounced on the balls of his feet until finally the door opened to reveal one groggy looking Abby Sciuto. She rubbed tiredly at her eyes and glared at Gibbs grumpily.

“Unless you have a damn good excuse for waking me up then I’m going to be forced to poke you in the eye,” she said through a yawn and Gibbs smiled as he stepped forwards to place a kiss on her forehead.

“I’m sorry Abby, but I really need your Internet and your diverse mind,” he said and brushed past, smirking a little when Abby mumbled something about a monkey wrench before she closed the door behind them.

“Gibbs, you have GOT to get yourself up to date at home. Where’s your laptop?”

“Left it at work, didn’t think I’d need it tonight.”

“Fine, fine. Coffee I take it is on the books?”

“Yes please, thanks Abby,” Gibbs said absently as he powered up Abby’s computer, smirking at the system she’d installed that made it howl when he did and settled himself down in front of the screen.

He tapped his fingers agitatedly on the desk it sat upon, glancing between the kitchen and the screen until finally he could get a window open for Google.

“Abby,” he said cautiously as she returned with his drink, one for herself also in tow, “You’re very open-minded.”

“I’m not sleeping with you Gibbs,” she teased and Gibbs did smirk a little at that.

“Damn. No, Abby…what’s your policy on…on…” he growled a little and closing his eyes in a resigned manner he bit out, “On angels?”

Abby watched him for a moment before she gently nudged Gibbs to one side so that she was now in front of the screen.

“Which one is it you’re looking for> A Cadmon or a Kahree?”

Gibbs’s jaw almost dropped and Abby grinned wickedly at him.

“Apparently they’re the only two that start out as humans, or so I’m told,” she said continuing before looking at the screen again fingers poised over the keyboard.

“How the hell do you know about them?” he said in an almost angry tone but Abby merely quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Because I kept mine around, she’s fantastic. Of course, you can’t see her, not with her not being yours and all. Apparently she was the one that sent me the nightmares about being on the Autopsy table to stop me from going down there when he was down there. Protecting me in her own quirky way, she reminds me of you.”

Gibbs lowered his forehead to the desk and banged it lightly for a moment before sitting straight again.

“Fine, I suppose that makes things easier with you understanding. I need you to find mine now please.”

“Sure thing Gibbs, do you have their name?”

This time Gibbs did falter, trying to gauge how Abby might take the next piece of news. Okay so she knew about the Angels but what would her reaction be to knowing who Gibbs’s was.

“Yeah, it’s um,” he cleared his throat, “it’s Anthony DiNozzo.”

He watched as Abby’s cup fell to the floor. Wincing as it shattered he looked up again to find Abby wide-mouthed and practically spluttering.

“But, but I can see him! I touch him and I hug him…HUGS! Oh, I said only today that he gives warm hugs! Like he’s…”

“Reaching inside of you,” Gibbs finished and Abby jumped up with an excited yelp.

“He fell didn’t he? Holy Shit! Moira, my Angel, she told stories as a kid about Angels who fell to protect their beloveds!” Suddenly her face changed and it softened as though she’d just seen the cutest thing in the world, “He fell to protect you. That is so beautiful!”

“Not if you knew the whole story,” Gibbs muttered and took a moment to marvel at how such a strange thing had suddenly become a normal conversation between himself and Abby.

“What’d you mean?” she said frowning and sitting down again. Gibbs suddenly felt ashamed and couldn’t explain why as he scrubbed at the back of his neck nervously.

“When I was kid I, well, I mentioned him a lot. Apparently. Anyway, I started getting told off and picked on when I was ten for believing in such things and I, I um…”

“…Please don’t tell me you banished him,” Abby said dangerously and Gibbs closed his eyes.

“Wow, that Moira taught you everything about their culture huh?”

When no answer was forthcoming he made to open his eyes but instead yelped when he received a sharp slap across the back of his head. He opened his eyes in shock and stared at a now furious Abby.

“I can’t believe you banished Tony! Tony of all Angels! And he fell for you, because he loved you and wanted to protect you and you still give him a hard time!”

“It’s not like I knew it was him! And I was a kid, a stupid kid who cared that others took him seriously alright? It was hard, I didn’t know how else to react, I was being bullied for such fanciful things and I reacted the only way I know how Abs. I’m sorry, I am but that’s what happened.”

Gibbs blinked at his own confession and sat backwards. He glared at the screen in front of him, hating the silence surrounding him and told himself not to flinch when Abby tentatively touched his hand.

“Sorry Gibbs,” she said quietly and Gibbs glared for a moment longer before he looked over at Abby. She looked upset and sighing he pulled her into a sideways hug kissing the top of her head in apology.

“What did I say about apologising?” he said trying to filter in some humour. It worked as she giggled faintly.

“That we shouldn’t do it because it admits to doing something wrong.”

“Good girl.”

They squeezed one another tightly for a second then leaned back into their own seats. Abby, suddenly all business, clicked one knuckle and began typing into the search engine.

“One Anthony DiNozzo coming up…or something along those lines, I can’t imagine that DiNozzo was his birth name. Moira told me that the Big Guns upstairs tend to sort out a fake history for these guys when they fall.”

“Except we have no paper trail to follow,” Gibbs said and Abby laughed.

“Well I could always try and hack into heavensgates.com but I highly doubt they’ve purchased any computers up there.”

Gibbs couldn’t help it; he smiled at the image of a group of haloed, winged angels talking to one another on one of those daft chat rooms.

“This could take a while Gibbs, I think you should maybe go home and get some rest for now,” Abby said reasonably whilst still looking at the screen, “Remember I’ve got quite a few history records to look through before I can even begin to hope to find anything out.”

“Abby you don’t need to do this for me, I was grateful enough that you’re lending me the computer for the night.”

Abby looked at him then in a ‘don’t argue with me’ kind of way and rolled her eyes.

“Trust me, this won’t be chore. Go, sleep. I’ll report as soon as I have something. And make up with Tony,” she added as an afterthought that had Gibbs rolling his eyes this time whilst he stood.

“Alright, alright. You win, as always.”

On a spur of the moment Abby stood and threw her arms around him. A little stunned he returned the gesture and patted her head awkwardly.

“I’m glad someone else knows about them,” her muffled voice said and Gibbs smiled as he hugged her closer.

“Me too,” he said quietly.

……………………………………………………………

Tony finished typing the last paragraph of his report before, with a flamboyant gesture, he pressed in the final full stop and smiled over at Kate who rolled her eyes at him.

“Congratulations Tony, you actually completed a report. Give yourself a pat on the back,” she said with a smirk and it was with great restraint that Tony resisted sticking his tongue out at her.

“You know, you act like I do nothing around here but would Gibbs keep me around if I was actually that useless?” he asked, actually curious to her answer when said man walked in. Tony couldn’t help the way his heart pumped harder and he quickly leaned into his seat properly.

Gibbs, cradling a coffee in one hand, caught his eye and for a moment the intense gaze captured Tony. He still had no idea how Gibbs was handling everything (‘Was it really only the night before?’) but either way that fact that the man could look at him had to be positive on some aspect.

“Morning Boss,” he said hesitantly and he watched as Gibbs slowed a little, licked his lips and then all of a sudden Tony could hear a familiar voice in his head.

’Can you still hear me when I think?

Biting his lip Tony gave the smallest nod. Gibbs looked off to a point over Tony’s shoulder and then another sentence curled into Tony’s mind.

’Can you…not, whilst we’re at work?

It was so hesitant, shy almost that Tony smiled a little sadly. How foolish a man, to think that Tony would be upset because Jethro wanted to keep his private thoughts, well, private.

’Like you need to ask.’ he thought in return and watched as Gibbs visibly relaxed.

’Thanks.’

Gibbs then carried on to his seat and settled in ignoring Kate’s confused look and Tony’s curious one. All three of them jumped (although Gibbs was more discrete about it) when Gibbs’s phone went off and with a quick movement he grabbed it.

“Gibbs.”

He was silent, clearly listening for a moment before he nodded.

“On my way Abby.”

Hanging up he moved back round his desk and headed towards the lifts to get to the lab.

“Abby has some leads for me on a cold case, I want both your reports on my desk when I get back, and check them people.”

With that said he was gone again leaving two very confused agents in his wake, although both confused for entirely different matters.

…………………………………………………………….

“Abby,” Gibbs said as he stepped into the lab but skidded to a stop at the sight before him. Abby was quickly dabbing at her eyes, clearly trying to hide the fact that she’d been crying from Gibbs and sniffed loudly as a result. Striding forwards Gibbs grabbed her by the shoulders.

“Abs, what’s wrong?” he asked frantically and Abby laughed in a pitying sort of way as she waved away his concern.

“It’s nothing, sorry. I found Tony, how he originally died and everything. Just makes me sad thinking about it. S’nothing.”

Gibbs could feel a curl of anxiety in his gut now and he quickly tugged a stool that was behind him forwards with his foot to sit on it. He rubbed at Abby’s shoulders comfortingly for a moment then pulled her gaze up to his.

“What’d you find Abby?”

Rubbing one last time at her eyes Abby moved the screen so they could both see it. Gibbs stared at it for a moment before glancing back at Abby, silently asking her to state what she’d found.

“Turns out Anthony Pariseau died on March 17th 1916 during the First World War. He was one of the hundreds who died when called to go over the side of the trench walls into certain death,” Abby sniffed again and wiped at her eyes whilst Gibbs felt his gut clench tightly.

“Oh Tony,” he whispered and watched as Abby opened another window. It was this though that caught his eye as he stared at the screen in numb shock. The image was clearly a scan of a very old picture and there, in faded black and white was Anthony DiNozzo, or as the picture’s blurb said, Brigadier General Anthony Pariseau.

“I can’t believe he was a Brigadier,” Abby said with a fond smile and looked at Gibbs, “Surely that would mean he should know as much as you?”

“Different times,” Gibbs said reasonably, “He said he fell after I rejected him and before that he was protecting me so I doubt he had time to immerse himself into how the rankings worked today. And lets not forget, he died in a War…”

“Must be tired of fighting,” Abby finished and nodded.

Gibbs nodded as well but remained staring at the photo. His heart ached with all the new knowledge he was receiving. He ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes, trying to imagine what it must’ve been like and inwardly groaned at the times he’d looked down at Tony, assuming he couldn’t begin to know what it was like being a fighting soldier.

Turns out he did know, he’d died knowing.

“Where’s he buried Abs?” he asked quietly and Abby twisted her lips slightly in thought.

“There’s no record of his ‘official’ burying, which means he’s more than likely one of the 368 soldiers buried in the Flanders Fields.”

“This is insane,” Gibbs said burying his face into his hands, “We’re talking about him as though he’s dead, which he is kind of, but he’s not because he’d winding Kate up back in the Bullpen.”

“You’re trying to think too logically Gibbs. Just…do you want him around? As more than just your subordinate now? Because I know you too have the hots for one another…”

“Whoa, hang on. What?” Gibbs said pulling his face back up and Abby smiled in a smug manner.

“Don’t even try and deny it, sometimes it gets really boring down here and you learn to observe people for fun. You two have been dancing around one another for years, although now I’m beginning to think Tony doesn’t just fancy you. He genuinely loves you, Hell he fell for you!”

“Abby…”

“Gibbs, you can live in denial all you like but you have a chance to have something no one else does! You can love someone who won’t die before you, who genuinely will be with you to the end and oh, bonus, happens to be your own personal Kahree…”

“Kendreague,” Gibbs corrected automatically making Abby grin wider.

“And lets face it, you can’t complain and say he’s too young for you because technically you’re too young for him! He’s,” she stopped and did a quick sum in her head before she started laughing hard, “He’s 67 years older than you!”

Gibbs’s eyes widened before a huff of disbelieving laughter escaped him.

“This is fucked up.”

“Tony is 121 years old and still has the body of a 30 year old! Fantastic! Oh Gibbs, you’ve got to give this a chance, please!”

“Abby…”

“Gibbs, look, talk to him tonight and then come in and tell me you don’t feel the same way. And then tell me that some part of you isn’t completely in love with the fact that he, in every sense of the word, belongs to and with you. Because its not often I get to call you a great dirty liar and that’s what you’d be.”

Shaking his head Gibbs fell back into his seat with his eyes closed and with so many thoughts of trenches, Soldiers, Angels and Tony swimming around in his head. Opening his eyes he stared at the ceiling above him before he made a quick decision.

”Tony? he thought quietly and flushed slightly feeling like an idiot at ‘speaking through minds’.

There was silence for a moment before there came a tentative response.

“Yes Jethro?”

”Come round tonight, you and I need to talk.

If he was on a phone this would be where he’d hang up but he wasn’t actually sure how one ‘hung up’ a telepathic conversation. He frowned for a moment before giving the smallest smile at the sound of Tony laughing in his head.

”Oh shut up.

………………………………………………………………………

Gibbs linked and unlinked his fingers as he stared at his front door waiting. One of his knees bounced nervously as he did so before he growled and attempted to control it. Scrubbing his hand over his face he glanced around his living room again and had a moment to wonder at the fact he was worrying about what Tony thought of his house. It wasn’t like he’d never been there before, but this time Gibbs was acutely aware of the fact that Tony was something more than he was, say, last week.

When a knock sounded he jumped up but restrained himself enough to walk calmly to the door where he pulled it open. Tony was stood there looking just as nervous as he was and he couldn’t help smiling at the ridiculous new caution in their relationship.

“You couldn’t have just, uh, appeared in my living room?” he said, mildly teasing and Tony smiled in return. His wary offer had been accepted.

“Thought it would be politer to knock, plus you might’ve shot me if I’d surprised you.”

“Probably,” Gibbs said stepping aside and when Tony walked past him he shut the door, not turning yet but talking towards the door as he addressed Tony.

“Why didn’t you keep the name Pariseau?” he said and felt a shift in the air as Tony turned clearly unsurprised at Gibbs’s question.

“I take it you looked me up then,” he said quietly and Gibbs did turn then with a curt nod.

“Abby helped, turns out she wasn’t as stupid as I was when I was a kid and kept her…what was the females one again?” he asked sheepishly and Tony laughed a little.

“Kariads, and that would be Moira then?”

“You can see them too?” Gibbs asked genuinely curious and failed to notice how he’d instinctively stepped closer to Tony.

“Yep.”

“Oh, right.”

“Is that all you wanted to ask?” Tony said quietly and Gibbs, suddenly feeling a little shy (and when was the last time that had happened?), shoved his hands into his pockets with a shrug.

“I have too many questions in a way. Like why aren’t your wings on show? Why’d you stay with me after what I said? What was it like in the trenches? Were you scared? What was it like dying? What was it like coming back? Why…”

Gibbs inhaled shakily and this time looked directly at Tony before he took a step forwards. He opened his mouth but nothing came out at first so instead he raised his hand and cupped Tony’s cheek, surprising them both. Tony closed his eyes in pure enrapture, sighing heavily and biting his lip at the touch.

Gibbs could feel the heat travelling up though his hand and felt Tony’s emotions moving with it; contentment, heartbreaking happiness, pure undiluted bliss. All because of his touch, a willing caress from a man that used to be the boy that an angel adored. He felt the guilt swamp through him again as he realised how much it had hurt His Angel when he rejected him all those years ago.

“…Why do you love me so much?” he whispered and moved in to be closer. Tony’s eyes opened at that point to look at him in genuine confusion. He shook his head minutely, not enough to dislodge the hand still cupping his cheek and he brought his own up to hold it in place.

“Because you’re Jethro,” he said in a tone, which clearly stated that that was reason enough.

Gibbs felt his eyes narrow slightly in an effort to control any escaping emotion that might show through them but knew it was futile. No one, not one of his wives except for Shannon had loved him so unconditionally and in many ways it was a shock to his soul.

His grip tightened and deciding to follow instinct rather than what was proper he pulled Tony forwards until he had him wrapped up tightly in arms. He smiled shakily when he felt familiar arms encase him tightly, holding him close and he chuckled brokenly when he felt the same deep affection and protectiveness that came from Tony the same as it had the very first time he’d ever touched him.

They stayed like that, both refusing to let go and Gibbs didn’t even pull back when he felt a wetness on his cheeks from where Tony had his pressed against him. He did feel his heart clench though the same way it had always done in the past when he’d made His Angel cry.

“Hug me like you used to,” he whispered and after a moment chuckled delightedly when he could feel a pair of wings wrap around him. He rubbed his cheek up and down, before he threw caution to the end and nuzzled his face into the side of Tony’s neck.

“I take it back, what I said then, stay.”

His whispered command was followed by a shudder of Tony’s shoulders in what was probably a silent sob. He felt the same emotion that flowed through Tony suddenly engulf him and he smiled.

Completion.

Yeah, that pretty much summed it up. Completion. Because that ache he always felt every year, that hopelessness as he tried to remember what was missing was gone. Nothing was missing, it was here in his arms and breathing in deeply he pulled back to fully take in Tony’s tear-stained smiling face.

He reached up and carefully wiped away any remaining tears that clung to Tony’s face and found himself a moment later staring at Tony’s lips. He found he just couldn’t take his eyes off them and instead he closed his eyes as he leaned forwards.

His lips landed on Tony’s pliant and currently unmoving ones but he didn’t care, simply pressed closer until finally he felt a pressure in return. It was almost chaste in a way, close-mouthed but still passionate as they kissed lightly. He could hear Tony’s shaky breaths inbetween every second long break as they moved to another angle, coming forwards again and again but always pressed closely together as they did. Some part of him was screaming inside, wondering what the hell he was doing, that he was going to ruin everything but he ignored it and finally tilted his head in a way that suggested he wanted to deepen the kiss.

The tip of his tongue was met with Tony’s own and he faintly groaned as they simply touched, twisting gently around one another before they both opened their mouths and moved to be more intimately locked. Tony’s tongue massaged his own and he returned the favour as they traded dominance back and forth until they gently separated, eyes opening and lips an inch away from one another as they breathed heavily.

Tony’s hand reached up to cup his cheek and Gibbs couldn’t help smiling. Tony returned it and out of the corner of his eye Gibbs saw something move. Glancing over he blanched before he felt one side of his mouth turn up. He’d forgotten he’d told Tony to ‘hug him like he used to’.

The white wings were as magnificent as ever but there were some grey wings here and there that caught his attention. He reached up to stroke the closest one and smirked when the entire wing quivered at the touch.

“I don’t remember these, I remember them being all white,” he said and Tony looked at them too.

“Getting old,” he said in answer and Gibbs looked back to his face.

“Yeah, we did the math today, me and Abby…And here I thought I was getting on.”

Tony laughed and cringed slightly.

“Looking good for a man two decades over a century old huh?” he said and Gibbs closed his eyes as he laughed, shaking his head slightly as he did.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that. Or the fact that you were a Brigadier…it’s too weird.”

“Then think of me as Tony DiNozzo. It is who I am now even if it wasn’t who I was first. Trust me, you try and think logically about this and you’ll get all kinds of turned around.”

“Sure thing grandpa.”

Tony laughed and on a spur of the moment pulled Gibbs close again hugging him tightly with arms and wings. Gibbs basked in it, one hand wrapping around Tony’s waist and the other stroking over the brilliant wing wrapped around him. When he pulled back again he placed another chaste kiss on Tony’s lips. Tony watched him carefully before he cradled Gibbs face in both hands.

“Do you know what you’re asking for?” he said quietly and ran his thumbs soothingly over Gibbs’s cheekbones, “ I already love you with everything in me, and that’s a lot. Can you handle that?”

Gibbs stepped back and took in the entirety of his Tony, his Angel. Tony stood there with his arms at his side, wings stretched partially out and was watching him silently as Gibbs came to his own conclusion.

Could he give as much as Tony was? Probably not, these Kahrees were created to love, were made from it and probably had endless supplies of it coursing through them. But…he would give Tony as much as he carried inside of him, human maybe but even he could love endlessly. Even if it didn’t match Tony’s he would give everything he had.

Smiling he nodded and moved back into the long missed embrace. He pulled Tony into another consuming kiss and they stayed there for what felt like hours, pressed closely together and simply being.

…………………………………………………………….

Gibbs was spread out on his bed on his back, arms tucked under his head and still fully clothed as he calmly regarded Tony who sat cross-legged beside him with his wings still out. He would every now and again move one so that it ran down the length of Gibbs’s body and Gibbs always bit the inside of his cheek when it tickled over his sides.

“Still ticklish then,” Tony teased and shuffled around until, with a cheeky grin, he was straddled over Gibbs’s hips.

“Try it and I’ll show you how much bigger I’ve gotten,” Gibbs growled and Tony chuckled. He rested his hands on Gibbs’s chest; fingers splayed and watched them quietly. As a result Gibbs could feel that oh so desired warmth flow through him and smiled when he pulled one hand from behind his head and placed it over one of Tony’s, fingers gently massaging.

Tony moved his gaze to Gibbs’s face and smiled at him. He stretched out his wings, the great length of them almost touching from wall to wall as they did so before he curled them back in. He dropped them a little until the tips rested on the bed lazily and the entire time Gibbs hadn’t taken his eyes off them.

He reached one hand up to stroke Tony’s wing, the downy feathers sliding in between his fingers as he moved his hand downwards and then ran just his fingertips in aimless patterns over the powerful limb. He shifted his gaze when he felt Tony’s shuddery gasp and found the angel with his eyes closed, wet lips parted slightly and, deciding to experiment he lightened the touch to a tease. As a result Tony’s hips jerked quickly before he settled again.

“Sensitive?” he asked gruffly and still with his eyes closed Tony nodded.

“But I touched your wings as a child, you never acted like this.”

“Different dynamic. As a child I loved you like one, like a brother would his younger brother. But I wasn’t with you throughout your teenage years Gibbs, Mercy I wanted to be but you were too angry, would’ve known I was there. So I waited until your memory of me wasn’t as strong but by that point you were a man…”

Tony opened his eyes and looked down at Gibbs making him shudder at what he saw there: Love and lust, heat for him and desire.

“…And what a man,” Tony finished with a small smirk, “I still loved you but…By God, you were beautiful.”

Gibbs flushed at the breathed out words but kept his eyes on Tony’s as the man continued.

“The thing is with falling is that you begin to feel like a human does: Hunger, thirst, pain…”

“Lust,” Gibbs finished croakily and Tony nodded.

“Is that okay?” Tony said after a moment and Gibbs laughed lightly as he tugged him down to kiss him again.

“I’m sure I’ll get over it,” he teased before kissing him again. Licking at the seams of Tony’s lips he moved his hands down over Tony’s spine until he came to the man’s jeans (and wasn’t that a strange thing to consider? Angels wearing Levis) and tucked his hands down into the back pockets. He added pressure until finally his and Tony’s hips were pressed tightly together. They very gently rocked together, soothingly almost and continued to kiss as Gibbs kept pressing down.

The only time he’d ever explored anything sexual with another man was during his younger days in the Marines. Even then it was a quick hand-job or more, never a relationship and as he thought this he jerked his head back not to discourage but to quirk an eyebrow quizzically at Tony.

“Two men? Doesn’t God disapprove?” and it was weird enough talking about God as though he might sit down with a drink with his angels to discuss humanity. The image caused him to smile fleetingly as Tony chuckled.

“He calls it Free Will for a reason you know.”

“What’s he like?” Gibbs asked and rolling his eyes Tony groaned as he moved his lips to Gibbs’s neck trailing soft kisses down the length of it.

“He has a great sense of humour,” he said in a muffled voice and Gibbs laughed.

“What makes you say that?”

“Have you seen the platypus?”

Gibbs laughed loudly and moved his hips up again when Tony nipped at his collarbone. Moving down Tony carefully undid Gibbs’s shirt, kissing as he went even though Gibbs was still chortling away and Tony couldn’t help smiling against his lover’s chest. A thought suddenly struck him and looking up he asked tentatively, “Do you want me to put my wings away?”

“God no,” Gibbs said and pulled Tony back up to start undressing him. They stripped reasonably quickly, kissing any newly revealed flesh until finally they were kissing furtively, naked bodies pressed together and encased within two wings. Gibbs, lips still attached to Tony’s, sat up until he was cross-legged with Tony in his lap. The position meant they were pressed closely together and Tony could wrap them both up with his wings.

“Need protection?” Gibbs asked breathlessly and Tony shook his head.

“I can’t catch anything and you’re clean. Trust me, I know.”

“Ready?” Gibbs said after a moment and with eyes locked they rocked until Gibbs finally thrust up, Tony’s mouth dropping open as it did and closing his eyes as he was filled. His hands gripped Jethro’s shoulders tightly and his wings trembled violently as he arched. Gibbs himself groaned through gritted teeth and wrapped one arm around Tony’s waist and the other pressed straight against Tony’s spine with his hand inbetween his shoulder blades.

They were moving hard and fast now, Tony capturing Jethro’s lips again in a fierce kiss before pulling back, lips resting comfortably together before Tony started humming brokenly. Gibbs moaned and pulled him closer as Tony licked at his dry lips and began to whisper the song he’d sung all those years ago with a throaty, husky voice.

“I am stretched o…on your grave, And I'll…I’ll lie here forever,”

His fingers tightened on Jethro’s back again and he whimpered for a moment before gritting out the next sentence.

“If your hands were in mine, I'd be sure…”he moaned before continuing in a hoarser tone, “…they would not sever . My apple tree, my brightness, its time we were together.”

He gave up after that and hummed in a shaky manner, moving harder against his lover’s thrusts and Gibbs couldn’t resist running his hands up to rest them on the shoulder blades of the powerful wings now stretched out and shaking almost uncontrollably.

“Jethro,” he whispered and cut off a great yell before it could escape. In return Gibbs kissed the underside of Tony’s jaw.

“My debauched angel,” he muttered and something about the way he said it obviously got to Tony because with a great yell and shudder he found completion, his wings curling in and then flying out just as fast causing various objects such as picture frames and books to be knocked off their shelves and dressers when they connected. Gibbs laughed delightfully at the noise of the room being trashed by the brilliant white wings and threw his head back as he climaxed.

Both moaned tiredly and Gibbs fell backwards bringing Tony with him so that the limp angel was sprawled on top of his body, arms and wings motionless as he melted quite contently against Gibbs’s chest.

“I think I just died,” Tony mumbled and Gibbs laughed again as he ran his hand through Tony’s sweat soaked hair.

“Lets hope not otherwise I’m screwed.”

Tony let out a breathless puff of a laugh before he groaned, pushed himself up enough to collapse on his front next to Jethro. Gibbs in turn rolled over so he had his hand resting on the small of Tony’s back and his head buried in the space between Tony’s neck and shoulder.

Clearly using up all the energy he had Tony lifted one arm and one wing to drape it over Gibbs’s body, pulling him in closer until he was safely encased against his side.

“Angel?”

Tony felt a pleasurable shudder run down his spine at the old name and opened his eyes to find Jethro’s blue ones only inches from his own.

“Yes my Jethro?”

“…If I tell you to go away because I’m pissed off again, ignore me. That’s an order.”

Silently Tony reached up his hand to cup Jethro’s face and pulled him closer until he could place a chaste kiss on the silver-haired man’s forehead.

“Yes Boss.”

Relief running through him Jethro smiled and after one final kiss he moved forwards until he could hardly tell where he finished and where Tony began. He listened until Tony’s breathing evened out before he opened his eyes to watch over his new lover, his old friend and his forever beloved.

Finite

AN: Wow that took all day but was so enjoyable I simply couldn’t stop. Now I can go and submerse myself in the NCIS Boxset I got through the post just this morning, wohoo! Thanks for all your comments from part one!