PURPLE HAZE

I wrote Purple Haze for NCIS Reverse Bang 2019 (challenge at LJ, stories posted at AO3). I chose the wonderful art by Penumbria as inspiration for this story. One of her wishes was for this to be a crossover, so I chose 2 characters from Criminal Minds, Rossi and Reid, and had them walk into the NCIS world when following a case of their own. I've never written them before!

I look forward to reading your comments.

This is slash, with DiNozzo/Gibbs in a new relationship, in the summer after Season 6. It is rated: mature. 35,800 words in 11 chapters, to be posted every few days.

Summary: A dead Navy officer, an FBI-BAU case involving missing scientists, and a huge explosion affects the lives of Tony and Gibbs. Tony is badly hurt, but he and the team are quarantined due to the catastrophe. FBI agents Rossi and Reid, and Tony's colleagues, race against time to get Tony help and to solve the ongoing mystery while in the midst of the crisis.

TAGS: DiNozzo/Gibbs, established relationship, not out at work, Ducky, Abby, McGee, FBI, BAU, criminal minds, crossover, David Rossi, Spencer Reid, explosion, semi-apocalyptic, mass casualties, hurt/comfort, quarantine, strange fallout, sickness, breathing issues, health concerns, summer without Ziva, season 6, healing, case fic, reverse bang

Purple Haze

Jimi Hendrix

Purple Haze was in my brain,
lately things don't seem the same,
actin' funny but I don't know why
'Scuse me while I kiss the sky.

Purple Haze all around,
don't know if I'm coming up or down.
Am I happy or in misery?
Whatever it is, that girl put a spell on me.

Purple Haze was in my eyes,
don't know if it's day or night,
you've got me blowing, blowing my mind
is it tomorrow or just the end of time?

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CHAPTER 1 - BEING TOGETHER

February 2009

They arrived in Dulles, wind-burned and saddle-sore after chasing down Special Agent Jack Patterson's killer in Arizona. Dark clouds hovered overhead when they exited the terminal, and there was a low rumble of thunder somewhere to the west. The first drops of rain started to fall as Tony and Gibbs hastened across the huge airport parking lot. They were only partway to Gibbs' truck when lightning cracked overhead, way too close for comfort – and the heavens opened up. They made a mad dash through the sudden downpour, but by the time they clambered into the truck, both of them were soaked to the skin.

With a laugh, Tony shook his head like a dog, spraying water droplets everywhere. Gibbs joined in, laughing for no other reason than the storm was unexpectedly intense, and Tony was smiling at him in a way he'd never seen before, so open and happy it made his heart beat fast. Gibbs reached over and brushed strands of wet hair off Tony's forehead. Their eyes met, the laughter died, and all of a sudden it was as if someone had thrown a switch. Neither of them could ever say who made the first move: Gibbs reached for Tony, Tony leaned towards him, and they ended up in a scorching hot embrace. They kissed like a couple of crazy people, their long-denied passion flaring brightly. Gibbs tangled his fingers in Tony's hair, and Tony clutched at his shoulders, moaning and opening up to him in a way he had only dreamed of.

They finally broke apart, breathing hard. Gibbs could feel the heat rising all the way up to the tips of his ears; desire – and embarrassment – did that to him. Tony stared at him with big dark eyes, his lips red and shiny with saliva, and all Gibbs could think was, Jesus, he was in deep trouble if all it took was a kiss to make him lose his mind.

Gibbs choked out, "Home," and Tony breathlessly replied, "Okay."

◊ • ◊ • ◊ • ◊

The next morning, Jethro woke up with his legs entwined in Tony's, his arm slung across Tony's waist. He was warm and happy, so he didn't move, but his dick was hardening against Tony's naked ass, and he knew he had to either act on it or retreat. Before he could make a decision either way, Tony stirred and stretched. A second later, the younger man tensed up, probably realizing where he was, and what they'd done. "Hey, it's okay," Jethro said. He ran his hand down Tony's bare back, loving the feel of his silky skin.

Apparently that wasn't the right thing to do because Tony jumped out of bed, stared at him wide-eyed, and ran into the bathroom. Jethro sighed as he heard Tony groaning from behind the closed door, "Oh fuck, fuck, I had sex with the boss! What was I thinking?"

Having sex with Tony – and sleeping in each other's arms through the night – was a dream come true for Gibbs, a fucking fantasy, the kind that never lasted. It looked like Tony didn't feel the same way, he thought unhappily. Unsure of what to say ("It was great, Tony," or "I've never come so many fucking times in one night," or even, "Stay with me," even if it sounded as sappy as hell), Jethro leaned against the bathroom door, and said, "Gonna start the coffee." If Tony heard him, he gave no sign.

◊ • ◊ • ◊ • ◊

Jethro realized he'd been looking blankly at the meager contents of his fridge for several minutes. He took a deep breath and told himself to get his act together. This was important. Tony was important. But then he muttered, "Hell, it's just breakfast, not the Last Supper," and started pulling out milk and eggs, checking nothing had spoiled while they were away.

He succeeded in putting together a decent omelet, and was placing a bowl of sugar and Tony's creamer, which he just happened to have on hand, on the kitchen table, when Tony appeared in the doorway.

Freshly showered and dressed in clean clothing from his travel bag, Tony sauntered in barefoot, acting as if nothing intimate had happened between them last night. At Jethro's invitation, he took a seat, and after a tentative bite of the hot omelet in front of him, he dug in as if he was starving. Tony glanced up and caught Jethro smirking at him, and said sheepishly, "Having sex makes me really hungry."

What the hell could he say in response to a statement like that? And I'm still hungry for you. Instead, Jethro nodded at the coffee and asked, "That okay?"

Tony took a sip and smiled. "Really good. Just the way I like it. Robust yet sweet."

Their eyes met and Tony smiled like a smug alley cat. Damn, he was so fucking handsome, and Jethro couldn't stop himself from staring. Last night had been what Tony had called, at one point, action-packed. They'd kissed and sucked and fucked, front and back, shouted and moaned, and cried out in pain and ecstasy. They'd fought over who'd be on top each time, and acted as if it was the end of the world and they had to cram everything into that one night. Jethro wasn't sure how it was that Tony was able to sit down without wincing. His own ass was pretty sore, so he could imagine what Tony's must be like. Hell, just thinking about Tony's ass was making him hard. As soon as they'd finished, Jethro cleared his throat and motioned towards Tony's empty plate. "You want more?"

Tony gave Jethro a look from under his eyelashes that was both sultry and promising. "I always want more, but I've gotta say, I'm finding myself unusually satisfied this morning."

Jethro's cheeks grew hot and he caught Tony's amused expression. He hadn't been a blusher since his teens, but it seemed like he'd done nothing but color up since that first kiss in his truck. The rain pounding on the roof, the sheets of water obscuring the windshield, had made Gibbs feel they were secluded from the everyday world. "Glad to oblige," he managed to say, wishing they could be cut off from the world just a little longer.

Tony shrugged and smiled, and okay, Jethro knew he was wearing a smug expression too, like a teenager after his first ever make-out session with the pretty girl next door. Only Tony was no teenager, and he certainly wasn't a girl, either. Unsure what the next step was, Jethro rose to his feet, intending to dump the dishes in the sink, but just as he reached for Tony's plate, the younger man bounced out of his seat and pulled him into a hug, and that led to some really hot making out, and that led to Jethro fucking Tony over the kitchen table until they both shouted and came. For some reason, that seemed to make everything all right between them again.

◊ • ◊ • ◊ • ◊

Unfortunately, they had to go to work. No way around it. So they cleaned up, got dressed and went in to the Navy Yard, acting as if it was a normal day at the office. McGee helped them tie up some loose ends with the Arizona Sheriff's Department, and they got their reports on the apprehension of Special Agent Patterson's killer completed and filed by late afternoon. The whole time they both managed to behave as if nothing had happened between them, that they hadn't had sex – lots of it – and they weren't aching for their shift to be over so they could have a repeat of last night.

Or at least Gibbs assumed Tony felt the same way. It was hard to tell, the way Tony was able to keep a completely professional demeanor; there wasn't even a hint of familiarity in his eyes when they talked, not even when it was just the two of them.

At five, when Gibbs told the team to go home, McGee said good night and headed for the elevator. Tony said a quick, "Night, Boss," and practically ran after him without so much as a glance at Gibbs. He was talking and laughing with McGee as the elevator doors slid closed, making Gibbs wonder if he'd imagined last night or what.

Swallowing his disappointment and asking himself, What the hell did you expect?, Gibbs went home, grilled himself a steak and sat alone at the dining room table while the light faded around him. He was on his second beer and about to start in on a bottle of Jack when his front door opened and in walked Tony. "You leave any for me? I'm starving," he called out.

In a second, Gibbs was up and pulling Tony into his arms, incredibly pissed and happy at the same time. "Where the hell were you?"

"I had to go for a drink with McGee. We can't let anyone know about us, can we?" Tony hugged him, one hand on the back of his head in a comforting gesture. He sought out Jethro's mouth and kissed him deeply, and when their lips parted, Jethro released a groan of relief.

"I thought… maybe you didn't want to..."

Tony admonished, "Really? Don't assume." He held Jethro's face in his hands and kissed him again, mouth open and demanding. Slick tongues battled, and Jethro nipped at Tony's bottom lip, eliciting a breathy groan from him. He could feel Tony's erection against his thigh, and he reached down to press his palm against his lover's jeans. Tony gasped and broke the kiss. "Don't! I'll come right here if you do that. I want…"

"What d'you want?" Jethro asked in a husky voice.

Tony said, "I want you and me to be… you know, together."

"Aren't we together?" Jethro teased.

"We are now but…"

"You want more than just now?" Jethro asked hopefully.

Tony studied his face, and then smiled. "Yeah, I do. I want it more than anything."

"So then we're together," Jethro said, with a slight shrug, as if it were a done deal.

"We're together," Tony said, as though being together was a wondrous thing.

Jethro suggested, "We could be a lot more together upstairs…"

Tony smiled. "Then what the hell are we waiting for?" He grabbed Jethro's hand and practically dragged him upstairs. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this."

Jethro chuckled. "Oh yeah, I think I do."

◊ • ◊ • ◊ • ◊

April 2009, two months later

To Jethro's surprise, things fell easily into place. He and Tony found a balance between work and home life, and so far, none of their friends or co-workers seemed any the wiser. Everything wasn't perfect, but they were damned good together. Jethro did everything in his power to ensure that Tony felt loved and wanted. And Tony… well, Tony knew exactly when to give him space, and when to wrap his arms around him and take him to bed, telling him in a sexy, low voice how much he wanted him. Even though they'd only been together for a little while, Jethro wondered how he'd ever managed to live without him.

Jethro was determined to be a good partner to Tony, and he was well aware that meant he had to work hard at his communication skills. He had been a poor excuse for a husband to his last three wives, and he knew why the marriages had gone wrong. They had tried to change him, had expected too much of his time and attention, too much of himself – but on the flip side, he'd been stubborn and selfish, and he had held back from fully committing to any of them. No spouse ever wants to believe the job always comes first, but once that unhappy dose of reality sunk in, his last three marriages quickly hit the skids.

Rebecca, had been the only wife to know about Jethro's previous relationships with men. She had been jealous of every man he spent time with, including work colleagues, even if they were straight. Jethro would never have cheated on her, but, as it turned out, she had no such code of ethics.

He would not make the same mistakes with Tony, Jethro vowed. He would not take their relationship for granted; he would show affection and be open with him; he would listen and heed Tony's needs. They may not have said they love each other, not outright, not yet, but this was a partnership they were both invested in.

Being together felt good, and, as sappy as it sounded, simply waking up next to Tony in the morning brought a smile to Jethro's face. The two men spent most of their off-duty hours at Jethro's home, but sleeping at Tony's condo had its advantages because nobody ever disturbed them there. Tony had always been very private about what he called his 'sanctuary,' and he had never invited any of his colleagues into his home. Visitors had to get past a security checkpoint and a linebacker-sized doorman in order to get to the elevator, so the pre-war building was safe and secure, just the way Tony liked it.

It was good to have a refuge from the violent and ugly world they had to deal with every day at work. Plus, Tony liked to cook in his own kitchen where all the gadgets he needed were at hand. Tony loved cooking from scratch, and he made a mean pasta dish, but he'd also proven himself skilled at creating amazing desserts. Even his coffee machine brewed a far better cup of joe than Jethro's did.

They had been going back and forth between their two homes for a couple of months when one day, a pasta maker appeared on Jethro's kitchen counter. He didn't say anything about it, not even when Tony sent him an inquiring look to see if he was overstepping his bounds. Soon after that, a fancy new coffee machine – the same brand as Tony's – had replaced the old one. And, a short time later, Jethro opened his pantry to find it stocked to the hilt with foodstuffs he'd never seen there before: sea salt, expensive olive oil, agave syrup, cocoa and marshmallows, ginger root, roasted achaar, buckwheat honey and something called Delfino Colatura di Alici di Cetara.

Jethro picked up a piece of ginger and inhaled its tangy scent. From close behind him Tony asked, "This okay with you?"

Leaning back against his partner's firm body, Jethro said, "Looks like someone is planning on doing some cooking."

"Yeah, just a few things I need. I don't want to push…"

"It's your kitchen, too."

"It is? You sure it's okay?"

Jethro turned within the circle of Tony's arms. "Move in with me. Look, you're here almost every night anyway."

Instead of immediately agreeing, as Jethro had expected, Tony shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Jethro was hurt by the rejection. "Too soon?"

"It's one thing being together for food and sex, but we've both been on our best behavior so far and… well, I don't want to rock the boat. I know you think it'll all be good, but you need your boat and bourbon time, and I know I'll be too much for you, and you'll get pissed and. . ."

Jethro raised a hand to cup the younger man's cheek, wishing he could do something to banish the reluctance in Tony's eyes. "You're never too much for me. Promise me you'll think about it, okay?"

"Okay." Tony's smile was tentative. "I've never lived with anyone, unless you count a week at Myrtle Beach with the Campocino sisters, and. . . I don't want to mess this up."

"You won't." Jethro gave him a soft kiss behind his ear.

"You don't know that."

"We're in this together, right? We'll work it out," Jethro said calmly. "Keep your condo if you need to, but sleep with me. I don't like sleeping alone," he admitted. You'd have thought that seeing each other at work and also at home would make the two of them fed up with each other, but it didn't work out like that. They enjoyed living as a couple, doing ordinary things like home repairs, cooking, and making the most of what little leisure time they had together. To him, living together was the natural next step. "Try it out. Please." See, he'd even managed to say 'please' without choking on it.

"I'll try not to get in your hair," Tony promised. "I'll pick up my wet towels and I won't drink OJ straight outta the carton, and I…"

Jethro shushed Tony with a finger to his lips. "And if I do something that bothers you, you tell me. This works both ways, you know." He took a breath and said cautiously, "There is something we have to talk about first…"

"What?" Tony asked warily.

Jethro shifted his weight and said, "I have to ask you one question, and it's really important you're truthful."

Tony's tensed up in anticipation of hearing something bad. "Okay, ask me."

Holding up the large piece of ginger root still in his hand, Jethro asked, "Is this the stuff that burns when you stick it up your ass?" Tony, rendered silent, slowly nodded. Jethro grinned and said, "Good. Can we try it out tonight? Because I really want to see you squirm."

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