Speechless
By Serena-chan

Disclaimer: If I owned 'em, Kate would still be alive.

Summary: Gibbs helps Tony sleep on a violently shaking aircraft.

A/N: Just a sweet little DiNozzo / Gibbs pairing. It can take place anywhere in the first or second season, but I actually based it on an episode from season one called Marine Down. That's what gave me the idea, anyway. If you don't like the pairing, don't read. No one's forcing you. Reviews are always welcome along with constructive criticism. No flaming just to be mean.

"Is he really asleep?" Kate Todd asked incredulously, staring at the slumbering form of her employer.

"Yeah," Tony said, tossing aside the magazine he'd brought. "At least, I think so...he looks peaceful, anyway."

The team was on a "priority flight" to Mexico in pursuit of a suspect and his hostage. Meaning, they were on a military-run cargo plane with no proper seats, being bounced around like rag dolls. Kate was throwing up, and he was beginning to feel a little sick himself. How could Gibbs sleep at a time like this?

Sleep. He hadn't slept in over twenty-four hours, and he'd definitely need it if they were to go immediately after their suspect with no opportunity to rest first. He rummaged around in the bag he'd brought with him. Smiling, he pulled out a bottle of traveling sickness pills, a combination of anti-nausea medication and a sleep aid. He always carried them when he had to take a priority flight.

Kate glanced over at the bottle. "Can I have one of those?"

"Sure, if you think you can keep it down." He unscrewed the lid and stared down at the bottle's contents in dismay. Only one pill left.

Cursing himself for not remembering to buy more, he glanced over at his companion. Kate was still looking green and every shake of the plane made her heave. Sighing, he held out the bottle.

"Only one left. You want it?"

"Are you sure?" she asked, smiling gratefully when Tony nodded.

Tony watched enviously as his partner drifted off into a drug-induced slumber. No sleep for him tonight.

Still, he didn't regret giving Kate his medicine. At least he wasn't sick. Kate would have gotten dehydrated if she'd kept throwing up like that.

Groaning, Tony shifted to lay on his side, trying to find a comfortable position. No such luck. He rolled over, groaned again and rolled onto his other side, muttering under his breath about the FBI and their private jet.

"DiNozzo!"

Tony glanced over at his boss, who was still laying in the same position, only now his eyes were open, and he was giving the younger man a pointedly annoyed look. After making him squirm uncomfortably for a moment under his intense stare, Gibbs jerked his head, indicating for DiNozzo to come to his side of the plane.

Tony carefully hauled himself up and walked across the few feet that separated them. Well, fell was more like it. No sooner had he stood up, than the plane gave a particularly violent shake, causing him to lurch forward and land in an undignified heap on the red canvas netting beside his boss.

Gibbs sighed, leaning his head back and closing his eyes again. "Any particular reason why you had to wake me up with your whining?"

"Sorry, boss," Tony managed sheepishly. "But I gave my last traveling pill to Kate. I honestly don't know how you can stand to sleep like this."

"It's easy once you get used to it," the older agent assured him. "If the rocking's unsettling you, just find something sturdy to hang on to."

Tony glanced around skeptically. "Uh, boss, in case you haven't noticed, there isn't a single sturdy thing in this aircraft."

Gibbs seemed to consider this for a moment. "There's me."

"What, you're going to let me hold onto you?" Tony laughed.

His boss grunted in frustration and said, "DiNozzo, just get over here and shut up."

The next thing Tony knew, he was being gathered up in two strong arms and held tightly against a wonderfully firm body. Suddenly, the rocking of the plane didn't seem nearly so bad.

"Better?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah," Tony said in surprise. "Thanks, boss."

"Uh-huh," Gibbs said tiredly, hoping that Tony would get the message to shut up and go to sleep.

But DiNozzo, being DiNozzo, continued to ramble. "See? I knew you cared about me. You may act all unfeeling, but deep down - oh..." he trailed off in surprise as his boss suddenly leaned forward and planted a careful, warm kiss above his left eyebrow, and "Oh," again, as Gibbs placed another one of those gentle kisses below his jaw. He was about to say "oh" for a third time when two soft lips met his own in the most loving and tender kiss he'd ever received.

When it was over, he stared up at his boss in shock, eyes wide and mouth hanging slightly open. For once in his life, Anthony DiNozzo found himself entirely at a loss for words.

"Finally," Gibbs said, feigning seriousness, although his blue eyes were light with amusement.

Tony cleared his throat in an effort to find his voice. "'Finally' what?" he asked.

The corners of the older man's mouth twitched upward as he could no longer hide the smile on his face. "I finally found a way to shut you up, DiNozzo."

Tony opened his mouth to complain, but Gibbs quickly cut him off by bringing their lips together once more. Of course, that didn't stop Tony from grumbling his indignation in between kisses.

-Fini.