Note: I revised the final chapter, adding a bit of background material. As it grew in size, like a lot, I had to divide it into 2 chapters. So that's why this story is now 20 chapters instead of the original 19.

This is chapter 20 out of 20, the final chapter!

Thanks for all your comments along the way!

CHAPTER 20

Tony screeched to a halt at the top of the drive. He had to deal with the gate again, and the damned mechanism decided to be stubborn, making him waste several precious minutes trying to get the latch undone. Finally it snicked open. Again, Tony drove in and stopped the car only long enough to lock the gate behind him. "I swear I'm going to get this thing hooked up to a remote," he muttered. After parking in front of the house, Tony practically fell out of his car in his haste. He jogged around the side porch and hurried inside, banging the door shut behind him on his way through the mudroom and into the kitchen.

Jethro was standing in pretty much the same spot Tony had last seen him in, only this time he was wearing a determined expression. Tony stopped a couple of feet from the older man, panting a little from his hasty return. When Jethro didn't say anything, Tony looked straight at him and asked impatiently, "So?"

With a slight shrug, Jethro asked, "So, you want to stay?"

"Is this a trick question? You just threw me out," Tony said, acting affronted.

"Yeah, DiNozzo, I want you to stay," Jethro said, annoyed.

"Okay…You mean…for dinner?" He wasn't about to turn any invitation down at this point. Besides, the dinner he'd left on the stove looked like it was ready to serve, and the aroma was making his mouth water.

But Jethro was shaking his head, ever so slowly, never taking his eyes off Tony. "Nope. I'm not talking about dinner."

"So… you don't want me to stay for dinner?" Tony didn't get what was going on, but at least there was now a gleam in Jethro's eyes, which was a good thing – wasn't it?

"I'm asking if you want to stay…for breakfast," Jethro said. "Tomorrow. And the next day, too, and for however long you'll put up with me. I want you to stay."

It took Tony all of two seconds to finally grasp what was going on, but he was so fascinated by the flush creeping up Jethro's neck and coloring his cheeks that it took an additional moment for him to react. "Oh, stay, as in stay! Wow."

Jethro raised his eyebrows and waited.

Tony had feared earlier that when Jethro had asked him to leave, he had been breaking up with him – not that they had exactly been a couple. But now it was obvious that Jethro wanted him to stay, to move in permanently, and the turnaround was both a surprise and a relief.

Tony smiled and shook a finger at Jethro. "You've been watching Murphy's Romance, haven't you? Yeah, Sally Fields keeps offering James Garner a home-cooked meal and fresh-baked pies every time he goes to leave her little ranch at the end of the day. So he stays…for breakfast…dinner…a little roll in the hay. Of course her ex turns up and romances her and Garner gets jealous and–"

Jethro advanced on Tony until they were chest to chest, and interrupted. "You finished?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess so," Tony responded, unable to keep a broad grin off his face at their close proximity. He leaned forward and boldly sniffed at Jethro's neck. The man smelled of sawdust, and fresh hay with a hint of manure, a heady mixture in Tony's book.

"I'm not gonna hide this, our relationship, that we live together," Jethro said.

"Wait a minute! Did you say...relationship?" Tony asked, a little dazed.

"If you can't handle it or you don't want people talking… I won't take this any further," said Jethro, speaking as if the words were difficult to get out.

"I know what it means when I agree to stay," Tony said, admittedly thinking about the consequences of such a decision with some trepidation. "I want to stay here with you, Jethro," he said seriously.

"Good, that's good." Jethro gave the back of Tony's neck a gentle, affectionate squeeze and then ran his hand back and forth over the short hairs at his nape. When Tony breathed out a soft, happy sigh, Jethro smiled. "You like that, huh?"

Tony nodded. It felt so good, so right, that he wondered why he'd ever thought this wouldn't work for them. He rubbed Jethro's back, pushing up his loose shirt so he could touch his skin, which was warm and surprisingly silky, and when Jethro buried his face in Tony's neck, Tony closed his eyes and made a sound of contentment.

"Tony?"

"Mmm," Tony replied vaguely. At least Jethro wasn't calling him DiNozzo any longer.

"Will the dinner wait 'til later?" Jethro searched Tony's eyes for confirmation that he was being understood.

Tony heard the words, and he understood them, probably far better than Jethro believed he did. The problem was that no matter how good this sounded, how appealing and arousing this all was, being touched and held, and loved – because he could feel the love in Jethro's gentle caresses – all of a sudden Tony was afraid. He thought about how Wendy had found someone else because he hadn't been able to give her enough. What if Jethro decided he wasn't what he really wanted after a few months – or a couple of years down the road? God, just thinking of losing Jethro made Tony's heart ache. He'd never survive being rejected again, it hurt so much.

Now it looked as though Jethro could see the doubt coursing through him. Jethro's hands encompassed his, squeezing gently as he assured him, "I'm not going to hurt you, or leave you. I'll never do that to you, Tony."

"It's just that I…I don't want to hurt you. I…Look, I've never been with a man, and I'm in the middle of changing career paths here, and there's the divorce thing, not to mention my dad trying to steer me into the White House, and if anyone gets wind of this…well, you know how the press can be like rabid dogs at the slightest hint of scandal and I don't want them to make trouble for you and–"

Jethro hushed him and said, "Hey, hey! Look, I've never been with a guy before, either. I've changed careers a few times myself. Divorce? You know my record with that. It's tough and painful to get past it, but you pick yourself up and move on to the next stage in your life. And as far as your father goes? Hell, ignore him. You're your own man. And the rabid pack?" Jethro gave Tony a crooked smile that made his heart beat faster. "I've been a Marine and a Federal agent for over thirty years, so if you think I'm not able to face the enemy and do whatever's necessary to protect my own…"

Tony looked down as Jethro's fingers laced through his, and that one small thing gave him strength. "You're a good man, Jethro Gibbs, too good for me–"

"I'm not. I'm not," Jethro insisted.

"…but if you're willing to take a risk with me…"

"Seems like I already did that, Tony, the moment I opened my door and let you in. I had a feeling it was going to be tough, getting rid of you," Jethro joked.

But had he truly let him in, Tony wondered? So far Jethro had kept his feelings to himself, for the most part. He sure hadn't come to him after the Merrills had taken Chevron away, at a time when he most needed a shoulder to cry on. Tony had to ask, "What about today? You just walked away from me. You can't do that if this if we're going to make this work. I need you to talk to me, tell me what's going on. I know you're upset about Chevron, and I am too. I know my feelings are nothing compared to the way you feel about that horse, with the connection you have, but…I want to help you."

For a moment Jethro's features twisted with pain, but he reined in his emotions and said, "My ex, Diane, she used to say I was like an old wolf who went off on his own to die when the time came. But I'll try to…"

"Try to be more open," Tony suggested.

The corner of Jethro's mouth twitched in the beginnings of a smile, and he nodded. "Yeah, that's it. Be more open."

Tony smiled back, thinking that at least this was a good start. Jethro surprised him by pulling him into his arms and holding him tight. They were close, cheeks pressing against each other, with Jethro's warm breath on his neck, and just as Tony melted into his arms and thought how good a kiss would be right about now, Jethro spoke, his voice muffled. "Diane…she was wrong, you know. I'm not so much a lone wolf. Not when I'm with the right person."

"Are you saying that I'm the right person?" Tony asked cautiously, not daring to believe it was true.

"You damn sure are." Jethro raised his head and looked into Tony's eyes as if he was seeking something in their depths. "But you, what do you want?"

It was really hard to think with Jethro looking at him with such an intense gaze, but Tony managed to croak, "I want to stay."

Jethro looked pleased. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. I do! I want to be part of your life, and to come home to you after a long day, and maybe get a foot rub after a home-cooked meal. I want to have a home where I can make a place for my son. I want to be loved without being judged, and I want someone to be there to hold me when I've been kicked around and things don't look so bright. I want someone to I can lean on sometimes, who'll tell me everything's going to be all right, and I'll believe him. And it's just as important for me to be there for you, because if you let me do that, I'll be happy." He took a breath, realizing how he'd risked everything by laying out his feelings. Jethro was still holding him within the circle of his arms, smiling in a way that made Tony's heart speed up, and made him brave enough to say, "Most of all, I want you to love me – and even if it's just a little, that's okay, because I love you enough for both of us, and…and, I guess that's all."

Jethro's smile, even though it was slight, was full of love and affection, which for some reason was better than one of his rare, brilliant smiles that emerged at special times, like when he watched the horses running across the field.

Jethro said, "That's a pretty long list of things you want, but I think I can make good on most of them. My home is your home, and I aim to be there for you whenever you need me. And, I've got feelings for you, too. I have, pretty much from the first moment I saw you at my door, wet and scared as a cat in a thunderstorm."

"I'm not a cat, wet or otherwise," Tony protested, eyeing Jethro's lips as they quirked up at the corners. He was just wondering if he should make the first move when Jethro took his face in both hands and kissed him thoroughly. Tony moaned and opened up, kissing Jethro back with a yearning so fierce that he surprised himself. They shared hard possessive kisses that morphed into slower, getting-to-know-you ones, but it was the gentle kisses that followed that left Tony weak in the knees. He could have gone on like that forever, sharing kisses, running his hands up and down the older man's muscular back, and taking pleasure in being caressed by big, strong hands, but Jethro pulled back and gave a small sigh.

"What's the matter?" asked Tony, worried that he'd done something wrong.

Jethro shook his head and said, "You moving in…Is this gonna cause trouble with that ex-wife of yours?"

Tony sighed. Practical matters had to be dealt with. "Why would she cause…? Oh, you mean because of Zack coming here." For a moment Tony considered keeping his ex-wife in the dark about his living arrangements with Jethro, and hiding the way they felt about each other, but Zack would soon figure it out. He was a bright child, and observant, and he'd tell his mother. "I don't want to sneak around. This is too important to lie about," Tony said. Jethro dipped his head, agreeing. Tony continued, "She's going to be surprised as hell to find out I like men now…"

"You like men?" Jethro asked, his eyes narrowing.

Tony laughed. "Correction: I like one man, and one man only. Look, she'll freak out at first, but…I'll ask my dad to talk to her. She'll listen to him. She won't kick up a fuss if she thinks she'll lose his backing," Tony assured Jethro.

"Which means you need to tell him first," Jethro said, sounding uneasy.

"Yup. That it won't be an easy conversation," Tony said morosely. Senior might not be openly homophobic, but he would never understand how his own son could choose to be with a man rather than with a woman. Senior would take it personally that Tony was gay, and he would demand to know what had he done to deserve it. He could just see his father tearing his hair out while asking, "Where did I go wrong? I gave you everything! How could you do this to me? What will people say?" And then he'd turn on Jethro, and blame him for corrupting his son. "This could turn into a big mess," Tony said to himself.

Still, Senior badly wanted Tony to stay in politics, and he'd do whatever it took to keep him heading in that direction. It was an obsession with him, albeit an unrealistic one. Tony had no intention of remaining in a field that he had grown disillusioned with; being a politician was not on his agenda, not any longer. He was eager to be back doing threat assessments and investigations within his own company, being his own boss again – and nothing could sway him from his ambitions. He'd promised his father he would consider running for the Senate, and that he would listen to his advice, but listening was as far as he would go.

Tony asked Jethro, "And what about you? Do you want to keep this just between us? Do you want to tell your friends? Moira? Abby and Fornell?" Tell one person, and then another, and soon the whole world would know, and next thing, their personal lives would be smeared across the tabloids. As it was, the whole thing seemed to be snowballing, and Tony would be lying if he said he wasn't scared about the repercussions. He swore under his breath, "Damn it…"

Jethro took hold of Tony's hands. "Hey. I don't care who knows."

"You don't?"

"Of course not, but I don't want to take out a front page ad, either. If the custody of your boy didn't come into this, I'd say we keep it to ourselves. But you need to tell Wendy before she hears it from someone else." Jethro rubbed his hand up and down Tony's back and said, "I think we've had enough of this for now. There's no rush, so we'll talk about it later, okay?"

Tony nodded. The subject was making his head spin, and besides, he'd rather get back to making out.

Jethro's gaze dropped to Tony's mouth, and he asked in a husky voice, "So, we're done talking? You think maybe we can take this somewhere more comfortable?"

Tony's entire body heated up in anticipation. "Definitely. You up for some more kissing?" he asked hopefully. The slowly made their way towards the stairs, hanging onto each other like newly-in-love teenagers.

"You like that, do ya?"

Tony nodded. "With you. Better than the first time."

Jethro stopped a few steps up to frown at Tony. "Well, you were drunk–"

"I wasn't exactly drunk," Tony said, remembering the way he'd been totally out of it, and had just about attacked Jethro, pulling him down onto the bed and kissing him without warning. It certainly became interesting when Jethro reciprocated, and now, just thinking about that searing kiss made Tony hard.

"You were definitely not in control, between booze and medication," Jethro pointed out dryly. "You told me it afterwards, it was a mistake."

Tony felt his cheeks getting hot. "I didn't plan it, not consciously, anyway, but I'd never call it a mistake. It's just… I was kinda under the influence at the time."

"You don't say."

They continued upstairs and when they reached the landing, Tony said with a smirk, "But it was a really good kiss, all the same. Better than good. It was hot, like really hot."

"I'm surprised you remember it."

"Impossible to forget," Tony said with a big smile.

"Hmm. Well, this time should be just as memorable."

"You're gonna have your work cut out for you, you know. Topping the world's best kiss ain't easy," Tony said with a teasing smile.

"Best kiss?"

"Sure, the first one always is, even if you're drunk, and your teeth clash and you can't figure out where your nose goes."

"Don't worry, I think I know exactly where my nose goes," Jethro said, leaning in for a kiss. He wasn't shy about using his tongue and teeth, and in response, Tony grabbed the short strands of his hair until Jethro moaned. He tilted his head, sucking on Tony's tongue while he pushed him against the wall just outside Tony's bedroom, grinding their hips together like he meant business.

Still kissing and hanging onto each other, they made their way into the bedroom, dancers in an erotic embrace. When Tony felt the mattress hitting the back of his legs, he pulled back a little, breathing heavily.

Jethro, who was breathing pretty fast, too, asked, "You okay with this?"

Tony took a moment to clear his head, and then he nodded. He stood there, a little unsure about how to progress, but Jethro took charge, stripping them both down with his usual efficiency. It happened so fast that there was no room for embarrassment, and barely enough time to get a decent look at Jethro's half-hard cock jutting out of a thatch of dark hair. Jethro reached down and stroked Tony's cock, making an appreciative sound, and Tony all but melted.

The fell together on the bed, all long limbs and hard muscles, moving in synch as they explored each other with hands and mouths, in a way that felt perfectly natural.

Tony's entire world narrowed until he focused only on Jethro's greedy mouth, his clever fingers – and yes, his cock. It was long and thick and hot, he discovered, once he got up the nerve to take it in his hand. Jethro groaned and his cock hardened and thickened within Tony's firm grasp. Tony thought about where Jethro was going to put it, and his grip tightened. Jethro gave a deep, throaty moan, and kissed him hard, and when their lips parted and they panted into each other's mouths, Jethro murmured, "God, I love you, a hell of a lot more than a little," making Tony's heart ache with unexpected intensity.

Tony laid a hand on Jethro's chest, and said, "I need to tell you…" Oh God, he had to tell him, had to say it now, before he chickened out.

"Shhh."

"When I was kidnapped. When he had me…"

Jethro caressed Tony's cheek and said softly, "Tony…you don't have to…"

Tony looked up, into Jethro's eyes. "I have to. I didn't tell you everything. I've never told anyone."

Jethro seemed to understand how it was important that he reveal everything he'd been unable to say ever since his abduction. "Take your time," Jethro said in a soothing tone, pulling Tony into his arms and resting his chin on his hair.

"I love you, too, Jethro," Tony said softly.

"I know."

Tony felt a kiss on his hair, and the strong arms tightened around him. "He hurt me," he whispered, hating the words, hating the lingering fear he felt, how it made him sick to his stomach. Tony stared blindly at Jethro's chest for a long time, and then he closed his eyes. "He took my clothes away," he said, barely above a whisper. It sounded loud in the quiet room. "H-he said he liked to see the marks…bruises, what he'd done to me. He called them his mementoes. They proved he was superior, that's what he said. He kept saying he was smarter than the cops, than everyone else, smarter and better, and he was using me to show them. I knew he was going to kill me. I could tell." He was trembling, despite the way Jethro was holding him, protectively, as if he were the most precious thing.

"It's all right. I've got you," Jethro said, his voice low, stroking his hair.

"I'm sorry…"

"There's nothing to be sorry for. You get that into your head, Tony. He's dead and gone. There's nobody going to hurt you, not ever again. Got that?"

Tony nodded. He took Jethro's hand and kissed the palm. It smelled like sawdust, piney and fresh. It gave him strength to continue. "H-he forced me face down on the table. I…I thought he was going to rape me, but he jerked himself off, came all over my back. My hands and feet were tied. So tight my hands were numb. I couldn't…couldn't move. I tried to fight him, but I couldn't…I couldn't." All of a sudden, hot tears streamed down his face. Relief, deep sadness, and so much anger – Tony felt them all, and so much more. Unable to hold back any longer, he let out a sob, and then another and it all came out in a flood that he couldn't stem.

For the longest time, Jethro stroked Tony's back, making shushing sounds, trying to console him as he would one of his horses. Eventually, the tears dried up. Tony wiped his eyes on a corner of the sheet, and raised his face so he could look into Jethro's eyes. He'd always been afraid of what he'd see there, distaste or revulsion probably – but he needn't have worried. Jethro's eyes shined with anger and love, a strange mix, to be sure. It was so like Jethro to be feeling such conflicting emotions at the same time. Tony knew that anger was for the man who'd hurt him, but the love, which was for him, was so much stronger.

"I'm sorry," Jethro murmured, visibly upset. "I'm so, so sorry."

"Don't. It's all right," Tony said, realizing that it truly was. He'd said what he had needed to say and now, maybe, he could put it behind him. "I got away. You were there…"

Jethro was watching him carefully, and then he nodded. He kept his arms around Tony, loosely, and waited for an indication as how to proceed.

After wiping his eyes with the heel of his hand, Tony raised up and took take Jethro's face in his hands. "I love you," he said once more, and expressed his deep love for the man in a long, emotional kiss.

Jethro kissed Tony tenderly, caressing his bare skin, murmuring softly, "so beautiful," and "you're safe," and, "so brave."

Tony kissed Jethro back, tentatively at first, and then with mounting passion, moaning into his mouth, taking everything that Jethro was willing to give. Impassioned, they grasped at each other's hair, angling their heads, kissing lips and cheeks and necks, until they broke apart, gasping for air. Tony couldn't help but laugh with happiness, something he hadn't felt in a long, long time. "I want you to make love to me," he murmured. "I want it so badly. I've waited so long for this, I can hardly breathe."

It was as if some long-asleep instinct kicked in, some kind of secret knowledge that told him that this was how he should present himself, knees pulled to his chest; this was how to make love, opening himself up to this wonderful man; this was how to eradicate the past and drive the demons away. Jethro's fingers, blunt and slicked with lube, penetrated him with agonizingly slow care, and he kept saying, "Yes, yes, I want this. It's okay. I trust you." He guided Jethro, and showed him what he wanted, encouraging him, and then Jethro's cock slid into him, filling him in a way he'd never foreseen. "Please…please move," Tony moaned, clinging to his shoulders, licking the salty skin and moaning, hungry for more.

Jethro was breathing hard into his neck, gasping Tony's name in time with every thrust, his unshaven jaw rasping like sandpaper across Tony's tender skin and fuck, that was so hot Tony grabbed his aching hard-on and started pumping. Jethro's hand was there, covering his, working with him. It only took a couple of twists and pulls and Tony was shouting and coming so hard he almost blacked out.

Jethro drove deeply into him, his thrusts erratic. Tony clung to him and cried out Jethro's name again and again. Afterwards, with Jethro still inside him, and Tony's heaving breaths turned to sobs, Jethro held Tony close and ran a loving hand over his hair, while whispering, "It's all right, I've got you. You're mine now. Everything is all right."

~ • ~ ~ • ~ ~ • ~

Whatever Tony had lost when he'd caught Wendy cheating, when her lies had torn a little hole in his heart that gaped wider every time he moved forward, and whatever had been stolen from him by the madman who had kidnapped him and tried to wreck him, he gained back tenfold. That night with Jethro, being consumed by the man's love and desire, marked the beginning of a change in Tony. That change, that process, may have started much earlier, as early as when Jethro had rescued him one stormy night, but it was on this night that he made the most important choice of his life.

This was the turning point, the beginning of a new life with the man he loved, the man who made him feel deeply and unequivocally loved. Yes, he could admit it – he loved Jethro Gibbs, and what was even more significant, the man loved him, and there was nothing half-hearted about it.

~ • ~ ~ • ~ ~ • ~

Jethro stood by his partner's side when he had to face his father and tell him he was gay, and living with a man. Senator DiNozzo did pretty much what Jethro had expected, as far as reaction went. There was shock, denial, and a whole truckload of bluster and blame, but then Senior stopped, practically mid-sentence. He glared at Jethro and snarled, "If I find out you coerced my son into this, or if you hurt him in any way, so help me, I'll rip your balls out your throat and tack them to your barn door. You got that?" Well, that left Tony speechless, and Jethro, he stood at attention and took everything Senior dished out because if their positions had been reversed, he'd have pretty much said the same thing. Only maybe he'd have just ripped the guy's balls off without warning him.

After things had cooled down a bit, Tony asked his dad if he could smooth things over with Wendy for him. Senior took his time, but he agreed. He thought Tony should accompany him, but Jethro thought Tony should talk to her alone, and so, after some discussion, all three of them - Tony, Senior and Jethro - went to Wendy's house and sat around her kitchen table, armed with black coffee and whiskey chasers. Like Senior, Wendy was shocked at first, and then she cried and got angry and blamed Tony for ruining their marriage. Jethro knew Tony would take the accusations to heart, and that made him so mad he laid into Wendy himself, reminding her about her infidelity and how she'd hurt Tony by her actions. Of all things, Senior held him back, and acted as a mediator of sorts. They talked and talked, until Jethro's head hurt, but eventually they reached a point where they were talking calmly.

By the time they left, Wendy was exhausted but she agreed they'd talk more more in a couple of days. On the way out, Senior surprised Jethro, and Tony, when he made it clear to Wendy that he expected her to accept Tony for who he was. "You say anything negative about my son, or cause him trouble, or even mention to anyone about his...changed circumstances...well, just remember I carry a lot of power in this town, and I'm not known for playing fair." Senior kissed a shocked looking Wendy on the cheek and said, in parting, "You make sure Zack spends the weekend with his dad, up at the farm. They need some father-son time together, and I'll take you to that fancy dinner going on at the White House Saturday night. Deal?"

That weekend, Wendy dropped Zack off at the gate. She didn't come in though. After a father-son lunch, when a very nervous Tony told Zack what Jethro meant to him, how he loved him and had moved in with him, the boy took it in his stride. He was quiet for a while, and then asked if there was any blueberry pie for dessert. There was. After he'd eaten a big slice with ice cream, Zack turned to his father and asked, with an anxious expression, "Are you still going to be my dad?" That just about broke Tony's heart, and he immediately hugged his son and assured him he was the same old dad. Always would be. Still, he knew it was going to take time for Zack to digest everything, and he wouldn't be at all surprised if there were tears or angry words in the near future.

Later that afternoon, they went riding with Jethro, along a lightly wooded path along the river that bordered Kelly Brook Farm. Tony noticed Zack kept looking sideways at Jethro, but it wasn't until they had brought the horses back to the barn and rubbed them down that Zack approached the older man. Zack had always been a straightforward kid, and sensitive to other people's emotions. "Are young to marry my dad?" he asked Jethro. Tony stood back to watch the interaction between his kid and his lover. He raised an eyebrow at Jethro, and crossed his arms, wanting to know the answer to that question, too.

Jethro got a little flushed, and he took a moment to form a response, but when he spoke it was sincere. "I plan to spend the rest of my days with your dad, Zack, so if that means we get married, then I'm all for it. I think we have to ask Tony, though."

Zack shrugged and asked Jethro, "What about rule 18? I say just go for it. Dad'll follow your lead."

Jethro laughed at that and met Tony's eyes over Zack's head. "I guess that means we're gonna get hitched. That right, Tony?"

"Don't waste good," Tony replied, his smile wide enough to split his face. He hugged his son and said, "I love you. Both of you."

Jethro joined in the hug, then headed out of the barn in the direction of the house. "Better get cracking, boys! We've got a wedding to plan."

~ • ~ ~ • ~ ~ • ~

Jethro laughed at the way people thought he was all hard-assed and impatient. How the hell did they think he had excelled at being a sniper if he didn't possess the patience of Job? He had to have patience, and a lot of it, loving Tony. Tony might be quick to champion others, but when it came to himself? Then, he was insecure, a sweet guy who was convinced that nobody could really love him, and who, for years, had covered up his loneliness with laughter while settling for being everyone's best friend.

No more though. Jethro did everything he could to make sure that Tony knew he was loved and needed. He couldn't help it; he loved the vulnerable side of Tony, because it was when Tony was down, when things were at their worst, that Jethro felt he was most needed. And if being wanted and needed made him a needy son-of-a-bitch, then so be it.

They'd had to work at their relationship – yes, he used that word freely now – and he'd even read a few books on the subject. He'd put those books aside though, in favor of learning from the wisest creatures of all, his horses. The gentle, smart, and physically strong animals understood the value of a gentle hand, and a firm, guiding hand, too, if need be. The horses were loyal and fierce, and wild underneath their civilized appearance. Tony once told him that he wasn't at all like a wolf, lone or otherwise – he was like a horse, with all the best qualities of the animals that Jethro often referred to as his visitors. He could readily accept that, and be proud of it, and he loved Tony for thinking that of him.

On their first anniversary, early in April, the weatherman predicted a cool day with sunny skies. What nobody could predict was that when a horse van pulled up in front of the barn, Tony, his wonderful, crazy man, would tell him to close his eyes. Jethro grumbled but did as he was told, hearing the sound of the ramp being lowered, hooves on the drive, and a soft nicker. When Tony finally told him he could open his eyes, there, standing in front of him, was Chevron, the small bay with the white V on his forehead, the first horse his rescue had ever released to a good home.

And when Tony excitedly explained that the people who had adopted Chevron had been relocated overseas, and he had decided to bring Jethro's friend home, Jethro didn't know who to hug first, Tony or the horse.

He somehow managed to embrace both of them at the same time.

• ~ • ~ • ~ end • ~ • ~ • ~