Lion Rampart – Chapter Five

Title: Lion Rampart

Author: Ladyholder

Fandom: NCIS, The Sentinel, Barney Miller, Criminal Minds

Relationships: Tony/Gibbs, Blair/Jim, Wojo/Barney

Genre: Oh, So AU and a Mystery

Warnings: Mention of murder, possible torture and I’ll add more as it comes. Expect sex, some rock and roll, the drugs are iffy and you can be certain that there will be low humor.

Notes: Yes, I am aware of what happened in the show BM. Tough. I wanted a good set of really tough characters to be decent role models for a young Tony DiNozzo and they fit. If this wigs you out, try the ‘back’ button. Both you and I will be happier.

Beta: No Beta

Interlude

Chapter Five

Morning came, as mornings always did with a burst of light and awareness and Jethro stretched out and enjoyed the pull he was feeling from all his muscles. Especially the ones in his ass. It wasn’t often that he bottomed, but every time he did, he remembered why he enjoyed it so much. He just enjoyed watching Tony fall apart and scream more.

Sniffing the air, the Sentinel nodded. His coffeemaker had gone off on time and his first cup of coffee was ready to be drunk. So far, Tony hadn’t said anything about his habit, but Jethro was sure he would eventually. The Guide had subtly added to his and Kelly’s diet and even managed to get them both to eat a fully vegetarian meal and enjoy it. Mainly by not telling them that there had been no meat in the meal, but still.

The roll out of bed was a bit stiffer that morning and he moaned softly at the pleasant ache. The figure snoring into his pillow on the bed snuffled for a moment and then settled back into a steady rhythm. Stretching out on the rug beside the bed, Jethro started his morning yoga. It was a habit he hadn’t told anyone but Tony about and he was vain enough to want to make sure that no one else knew what he needed to do to say limber. No matter what advantages he got from his heritage, he was still in his forties and he needed to work a bit harder to say in shape enough to catch the bad guys.

He was firmly in the Uttana Padasana position when he heard his Guide’s breathing change into a waking rhythm. Smoothly moving from Sirasana A to Sirasana B, he held the position for a firm ten count before moving out into the final, resting position of his workout.

“That has to be the sexiest thing I have seen you do yet,” came the sleep filled voice of his Guide.

Flashing a grin over his shoulder, the Sentinel stood up smoothly before dropping down into a full splits. At the aroused moan behind him, Gibbs grinned and pulled himself up before walking into the bathroom to get the shower ready. Twin thumps sounded in the bedroom and he knew that Tony was up and heading his way.

Warm hands wrapped around his waist and pulled him back against the taller body of his Guide. “No one would believe what a tease you are in private. And if that isn’t a tease, I’ll eat my hat,” Tony growled in his ear.

“Your hat is safe,” Jethro laughed back. Raising one hand back, he cupped it around DiNozzo’s head and pulled him forward into a quick kiss. “We need to get ready for work.”

“Hmmmmm… TGIF and we aren’t on call this weekend. I think I am going to test how limber you are,” Tony promised.

“Sounds like a plan,” Jethro agreed before stepping into the shower.

Tony was not a morning person. He had realized that fact about himself many years ago and figured out that the world wouldn’t let him live like a vampire and he since had no want to be one of the idle rich or even a midshift worker, he needed to deal with mornings. Which normally meant massive amounts of caffeine first thing in the morning to jump start his brain. The only problem with that plan was that he was now living with his Sentinel and his Sentinel was a sneaky son of a bitch.

It had taken him a week to figure out why he was getting withdrawal headaches that went away when he got his daily dose of sin from the coffee shop by the office. His sneaky, more than slightly evil Sentinel was drinking half-caf coffee. So he had switched to a full flavored black tea that he adored. Mass produced though it was, Stash’s Double Bergamot Earl Grey was a lovely way to wake up.

“Hello Kelly. How are you this morning?” he asked as he made his way over to his very pretty glass kettle. It was Sentinel safe, functional and he adored how quickly it boiled his water for his tea.

“It is better now. I’m going to need a nap later to make up for the sleep I lost when you two went at it,” Kelly muttered into her own mug of coffee ala Gibbs.

Smiling smugly, Tony just shrugged and waved the hand holding his mug carefully. “Sorry to wake you kiddo. Was it the noise or the emotion that got you this time?”

“The emotion,” Kelly said without thinking and then looked up. “So what does that mean? I know I didn’t hear you, I’m across the house!”

“Hang on a second, let me get this steeping,” Tony requested as he poured some hot water over the tea ball he had carefully filled from his supply. Tea steeping, the Guide wiped his hands on a kitchen towel before stepping into his apprentice/stepdaughter space. “This is gonna feel a bit weird kiddo,” he murmured before putting one forefinger on her forehead and pushing lightly with his gifts.

There were advantages to being a Lion Guide after all. And one of them was being able to ‘see’ the status of each and every one of the Guides under his command. If he concentrated hard enough, Tony could feel the bonds that tied the Pack to each other. He didn’t have to go so far down to see what was going on with Kelly. Smiling lightly, he pulled himself and then his finger back. Once his finger had moved away from her skin, Kelly raised a hand to rub against the spot. “That is such a weird feeling,” she complained.

“Isn’t it just? The last time I had anyone do that to me, I was thirteen and it was Dr. Sandburg,” Tony shared cheerfully as he turned back to his tea and fished the tea ball out. A heaping teaspoon of organic raw sugar and some cream and his morning caffeine was ready.

“So? What does that mean?” Kelly asked impatiently. Tony smiled around the rim of his cup. She had waited until he had gotten about halfway through before asking, so he was happy with that.

“It means, little Guideling, that you are coming online. And I get to go down to the Center to make sure that your teachers down there are ready for you,” Tony informed her. Raising his voice slightly to get his Sentinel’s attention, he called; “Jethro, we are done in here and your coffee is going to get bitter if you pace the perimeter any more.”

“It smells fine, Tony. And does this mean that the Pride needs to get another teacher into the S&G Center for her?” the Sentinel asked as he walked in and dropped a kiss on his daughters head and then another on his Guide’s lips.

Tony smiled softly at the gesture and went to get something to eat. The three of them needed something to start the day with beyond stimulants. Three open-faced egg sandwiches later and they were all on their way. Kelly was heading in for an early band practice and he and his Sentinel were heading into work.

“Did you see the way Gibbs’s was sitting?” hissed one of the many agents who inhabited the main NCIS branch. Tony knew the man worked in the office, but he wasn’t totally certain who it was based off of the way his voice was pitched.

“Why are you caring?” asked a second. Ah. Pacci to the rescue, Tony stopped typing his after action report and rested his hands on the keyboard. The conversation was taking place right behind him and he was just interested enough in the blatant stupidity to pay attention.

“Because he has a male Guide. And he hasn’t come in walking like that before! Gibbs isn’t gay!” the other voice protested hotly.

“So what in the hell do you think he and his Guide do?” Pacci asked. His voice was mildly amused as he listened to the other man work himself into a tizzy.

“Who cares? The Guide is a fag anyway. Look at the way he dresses! And…” the voice cut off when Tony stood up and stared over the wall.

“You know, I was really wondering if you were dim or just fucking stupid. And with that comment, I know it is fucking stupid,” he said easily. The first voice belonged to one of the many blowhards who had been glaring at him for the past two months. “Perkins, you have no idea what in the hell you just unleashed. Now be a good moron and get the fuck out of my sight.”

“You can’t do that!” Perkins blustered. “I’m a Senior Agent and I outrank you, you little faggot!”

Pacci winced and moved away from other agent, holding his hands up. “I know better DiNozzo. And I have no problems with you or with Gibbs, you know this.”

Tony nodded and then jerked his head towards the stairs. Pacci took the hint and headed towards the Director’s office. Perkins watched the exchange and sneered. “Tattling to the Director now? Are you fucking him too?”

“Jesus, are you really that dumb? How in the hell did you make it to being a Senior Agent and not know how to work with Sentinels and Guides?” Tony asked disgustedly. He had been exposed to prejudice before, but this guy took the cake. He hadn’t even dropped his outermost shield and the fear and loathing he was radiating was battering against him.

“Well I sure didn’t make it by getting on my knees and blowing anyone. Like you did!” Perkins ended with a shout as he walked around the cube wall. “You shouldn’t even be around decent people. There is no telling what diseases you are spreading just by sitting there and touching stuff.”

“If you say another thing, I will rip your stupid fucking head off,” came the growled comment from Gibbs. Tony slanted a careful glance at the stairs, keeping one eye on Perkins as he did. His Sentinel was livid and while it was a good look on him, it wasn’t helpful.

“Perkins, you are a dumbass. I mean really, you are so damn dumb you are an insult to those with less intelligence than the local goldfish,” Tony said with a point to the tank on someone’s desk. “The fact that you don’t know why it is against regs to ask questions like those about another agent is bad enough. That you are asking them of an S&G Pair is even worse. So, do us all a favor. Get the fuck out of this office, out of this Agency and if you are any smart at all, get the fuck out of DC.”

“The first two are easily done, Guide DiNozzo,” Director Morrow cut in smoothly. He was even bold enough to walk around Gibbs and the Sentinel let him. Although, Tony noticed that Morrow didn’t impede his partner’s direct line of sight to him. “You are fired, Perkins. You will be escorted out of this building by security and you will not be coming back. Expect to be blacklisted from Federal service too.”

“But I’ve been with NCIS for eighteen years!” Perkins protested as one of the security guards grabbed him by the arm and quickly frisked him. Gun, badge and ID were pulled out and placed on a spare desk.

“You lost that because you couldn’t keep your mouth shut and your prejudices private,” Gibbs said simply. “You can hate gay people all you want, you just can’t bring that hate into work. Nor can you spew that hate in your workplace, and try to use that hate to intimidate someone. That you feel free to say such things to my Guide means that you are intolerable. And I refuse to work with someone I don’t trust with my people, myself or my Guide.”

“And I refuse to tolerate that level of discrimination in my Agency,” Morrow agreed. Nodding at the guards, he waved his hand to include Perkins. “Take him down to the security office. I’ll have his severance package there in a few after I check in with Legal.”

The whole floor was quiet after the disgraced agent was taken away and Tony sighed softly before sitting down at his desk. Tilting his head back, the Guide stared at the ceiling and rubbed his hands over his face. “You didn’t start that, Tony.” Morrow said softly as he walked down the final stairs into the bullpen.

“I may not have overtly started it, Director, but apparently my presence gave him license to let it out.” Tony said into his hands. He was working at controlling his temper and it was a struggle.

“He was on shaky ground long before you came here, Agent DiNozzo. And I thank you for not giving into your instincts and dealing with him,” Morrow said loudly enough that the whole bullpen heard.

Tony let his hands fall and turned around to face the Director and his Sentinel. From the subtle flinch he got as he looked at Morrow, he knew that the other man had picked up on his mood. “I sincerely hope, Director, that NCIS cleans house. Because bigots like that tend to lead to massive lawsuits and bad reputations with the Sentinel/Guide community.”

He could see that Morrow was taking it as the warning it was. What Gibbs had tolerated before as an unbonded Sentinel, his Guide wasn’t going to allow to go on. Even if he had to start the housecleaning himself. When he felt his Sentinel’s had grip the back of his neck, Tony sighed and leaned back into the security he was being offered.

The ringing of a phone broke the silence and Gibbs reached over to pick up his desk extension. Three minutes of listening later, he quietly signed off the line and turned Tony. “We have a case. Dead body of a Marine found unattended at a local home. From the description, the scene is an incredible mess.”

“I’ll get the truck and you let Ducky know?” Tony offered as he quickly closed down his computer and got his gear ready to head out. The act of clipping on his gun and throwing his backpack over his shoulder settled him and started towards the stairs.

“I’ll see you at the truck,” Gibbs agreed.

They had a case to solve. The office drama was going to be left to Morrow and crew for now.

Chapter Six