Here we go, last chapter in the first story of what I may have to call my FoxVerse. Thanks so much for all the support, especially to those of you who weren't sure about a supernatural theme but went with it anyway. Also tremendous thanks to all the guest reviewers! And a special shout out to gosgirl for the email discussions and the bouncing of ideas and bunnies back and forth across the pond.

12: Resolutions

Tony stretched and switched off the television, frowning as he looked at the clock. It wasn't even 11 – no way he'd be able to sleep yet.

He sighed and got up off the couch, wandering into the kitchen to open the refrigerator and stare into it. There wasn't much food, just like there hadn't been the last two times he'd looked in there. He hadn't shopped since several days before Gibbs' transformation, and he'd had quite a bit of stinky ex-food to toss when he'd gotten home earlier in the evening. There were the remains of the pizza he'd picked up on the way home, but he didn't really want any more of that.

Nudging the door shut, he returned to the living room and sat down on the couch again. Friday night TV kinda sucked, and he didn't feel like ignoring a good movie, so he grabbed the remote to his stereo and flipped that on, settling for a jazz station and hoping it might help him relax.

We should have timed this better… getting back just before the weekend isn't gonna help Gibbs. At least we're on call.

The rest of the afternoon in the bullpen had gone better after Gibbs' startling announcement. McGee had seemed happy to let the subject of their real mission drop, and Ziva had clearly been resigned to letting it go, at least for now. Tony had decided if she brought it up again, he'd just tell her to see Vance. He'd also decided that just maybe he'd fallen a bit more for Gibbs after he'd told the team what Tony had done and brought him coffee.

And that was the biggest and possibly most important event of the rest of the day – he'd finally admitted to himself what he'd really known all along… that Abby and McGee and Vance and probably the rest of NCIS were right, and Tony did have feelings for Gibbs that went way beyond what he had for colleagues, friends, and hell, even family. Then again, given his father, that wasn't too difficult.

So now what?

Tony shrugged to himself. It wasn't like he could make a decision about… stuff… by himself. It does take two, right? Gibbs seems okay with it, so I guess we'll talk about it eventually.

Gibbs. Tony missed him, missed the connection, missed watching the man across the bullpen, missed the fox and physical closeness that was somehow sanctioned because they were different species. Sort of. Abby seemed to think Gibbs wasn't a real fox, just a human in fox shape.

Tony's mind wandered back to Gibbs in the bullpen. They'd both stayed later than the rest of the team, working on the fake reports that Vance deemed necessary. Tony wasn't sure why SecNav would bother to look into two agents' trip to New Hampshire, but it seemed as though Jarvis was trying to keep Vance off balance, so maybe it was best to have all the i's dotted and t's crossed.

Tony hadn't seen Gibbs so unfocused and off-balance in a long time… not since Ari and Kate, even though it wasn't really the same thing. Man needs a nice double homicide to take his mind off everything. Tony grimaced at the realization that he was wishing death on two potentially innocent people, then reached up and gave himself a head slap. "That's for you, Boss," he muttered.

His cell phone rang, and Tony sat up quickly, trying to remember where he'd put it. The ringtone, an Android Lust song, told him it was Abby, and he ignored the tiny pang of disappointment that it wasn't Gibbs. He leaned over, reaching for the end table, and grabbed his phone.

"Hey, Abs."

"Tony! Is Gibbs there?"

"No. Why would he be here?"

"Um, no reason. Just thought maybe you guys would be spending the weekend together."

Tony sighed, smiling slightly. "Take it down a notch, Abby. We're not… we haven't… whatever. We're still who we've been."

"Gotta disagree with you there. I know what I saw."

Tony sat up a little straighter. "What do you think you saw? We didn't ravish each other or anything. I think I'd remember that."

"Nothing so crass. Gibbs is too classy for that."

"Classy?! The man shops at Sears."

"Not wardrobe classy. Look, never mind. You guys will figure it out."

"Uh, thanks, I think."

"So, Tony, I called because I talked to my friend… the one who might be able to tell you what's going on with the dreams. He thinks he can help, but he can't until next week at the earliest 'cause he's in Canada right now."

"Yeah? What is he, some sort of dream expert?"

"Not necessarily, but he's Native American, Abenaki tribe, and a shaman. So if anyone can help, he can."

Tony grinned. "I'm trying to picture Gibbs working with a shaman."

"Tony! Gibbs is respectful of other cultures."

"I can hear the smile in your voice. He may be respectful, but it'll be an impatient respect." Tony heard a quiet knock at the door. "Abs, someone's at the door, I gotta go."

"Bet it's Gibbs."

"Why would Gibbs be here?"

"Just don't sabotage anything, Tony."

"Wait, what? Abby? She hung up." Tony stared at the phone in his hand, then shrugged and got up, heading for the door just as another knock sounded, this one a little louder. He checked through the peephole in the door, and Abby was right – it was Gibbs.

Tony opened the door, and the two men just stared at each other for a moment. Gibbs was still in the same clothes he'd worn earlier in the day, jeans, hiking boots, and a flannel shirt. Tony thought he looked pretty good.

Gibbs shifted his feet a bit. "Can I come in?"

"Oh, yeah, of course." Tony backed up and opened the door wider, looking down at his beeping phone while Gibbs walked past him. He hit a few buttons as he closed and locked the door; it was a text from Abby.

It is Gibbs, isn't it?

Tony sighed and answered quickly. Yes. Go away.

The phone beeped again. LOL! Have fun!

Tony looked up to see Gibbs standing in the living room, looking a bit awkward. Frowning, he followed, setting the phone back on the end table after switching it to silent. "You okay, Boss?"

Gibbs looked over at Tony, then reached up to rub at the back of his head, a gesture that told Tony Gibbs wasn't okay.

"I've got some pizza, if you want."

Gibbs shook his head. "Not hungry."

Tony looked him over carefully, then took a chance. "You're not okay, Gibbs."

Gibbs sighed and his shoulders sagged a bit. Tony moved forward to stand a couple of feet in front of him, then tentatively reached out to put a hand on his arm. "Sit down. You want a beer?"

Gibbs shook his head slowly, then moved to sit at one end of the couch. Tony followed suit, sitting in the middle, facing Gibbs with one leg bent and resting on the cushion. "What's up, Jethro?"

Gibbs huffed out a breath, then turned to face Tony, a small, self-deprecating quirk of his lips giving Tony a heads up that whatever this was, it was big. The older man reached up and ran a hand over his face, then let that hand fall into his lap and stared at the floor.

"Figured I'd relax after I got home, go down into the basement, get back to work on the boat… couldn't do it."

Tony's brow furrowed. "Couldn't work on the boat?"

Gibbs shook head again. "Couldn't go downstairs."

Eyes, wide, Tony sat forward a bit. "But your basement… I mean, you live down there."

"Maybe not anymore."

"What happened?"

"I'm not sure. Wasn't thinking anything of it until I opened the door, flipped on the light, and then – just couldn't make myself take that first step down the stairs."

Tony chewed on his lip for a moment. "Did you sense another spirit or something?"

Gibbs shrugged. "I don't think so. Not like I ever knew that one was there."

"What can I do?"

Gibbs raised his head and looked Tony in the eye. "Honestly? I don't know." He fell silent, his eyes searching Tony's. Tony didn't know what Gibbs was looking for, so he just met his gaze and waited. Gibbs shifted on the couch, clearly at a loss for what to say.

Tony scooted forward a few inches. "Turn around," he instructed.

Gibbs raised his eyebrows, but followed the order, sitting so he was facing away from the younger man. Tony reached up and began a shoulder and neck rub; Gibbs relaxed immediately.

Neither man spoke for a while. They listened to the music that quietly filled the room, until eventually Gibbs shifted away from Tony's hands. "Thanks. That helped."

"Anytime, Jethro," Tony said quietly.

Gibbs sat back on the couch, then reached out and gently took Tony's hand. "The whole time I was a fox," he said, "I knew you'd do everything you could to get me back. Never once doubted you had my six."

Tony made a face. "I started off complaining." He squeezed Gibbs' hand as he said it.

Gibbs chuckled. "That's just what you do, DiNozzo. I figured it for a front years ago."

Tony smiled at that. "Yeah, well."

The smile faded from Gibbs' face. "On that mountain… I didn't lose confidence that you'd succeed until that last night, before the tree spirit turned me back. If you hadn't been there with me then…"

Tony let go of Gibbs' hand and reached out to pull the man into a hug. He didn't say anything, and after a moment Gibbs relaxed and his arms went around Tony, hugging him back.

Tony cleared his throat and backed away, not wanting to push his luck. "Meant what I said, Boss. I've got your six, no matter what species you are."

Gibbs nodded. "I know. It's what kept me there. I've always relied on you, Tony, but it's more than that now. You've become…" His voice trailed off, and Tony was surprised to see his face turn slightly red. Gibbs cleared his throat, his eyes darting around the room. "You've become an anchor, of sorts. My anchor. And I'm not sure I know how to handle that."

Tony's mind raced as he tried to choose his next words. "You've been my anchor for years, Boss. It's not so bad."

Gibbs looked at him and smiled. "No, it's not. Just don't want to screw it up."

"Screw what up?"

Gibbs' eyes met Tony's again; he reached out and let his fingertips trace the lines of Tony's face, up through his hair, and then to the back of his neck. Tony froze, barely breathing, as Gibbs leaned forward and ever so gently touched Tony's lips with his own, then backed away almost before Tony could process what it felt like.

"That. Among other things."

Tony swallowed hard. "Is this where we talk about… stuff?"

Gibbs tilted his head to one side.

"You remind me of the fox when you do that," Tony blurted out.

Gibbs smiled slightly. "You miss me being a fox. You and Abby."

Tony's eyes widened. "Um, well, we, uh..."

"It's okay, Tony. I get it. I'm not very good at letting people get close as a human."

Tony blinked. "Do you want to?"

"You? Yeah."

"In a, uh, stuff kind of way?"

Gibbs stared at Tony, then suddenly broke out laughing. "You sound like a kid in junior high."

Tony grinned. "Well, it's kinda weird to talk about you and me in a romantic context."

Gibbs nodded. "I'll give you that one." He looked at Tony speculatively. "You been with a guy before?"

Tony shook his head. "You?"

"No." Gibbs moved his arm to the back of the couch, propping his head up as he looked at Tony seriously. "Not sure it matters much. A good relationship is built on trust, having things in common, shared experiences. The rest happens naturally."

Tony moved to mirror Gibbs' position. "Did you know how I felt?"

Gibbs shrugged. "Suspected. Wasn't sure what I wanted to do about it, if anything. Our friendship's too important to screw things up. And now…" His voice trailed off as his lips twitched. "Now I want to investigate this, see what it is. But it's complicated."

"You're my boss."

"Not that so much. These dreams, what that spirit did… how do I know this is real?"

Tony considered that. "You think the tree spirit is making us feel things?"

"Not you. Me? Not sure."

"I get that."

Gibbs' eyes narrowed. "Do you? 'Cause I don't. I'm finally thinking I can let someone in, let you in, and now I can't trust it because I don't know if that damn spirit is messing with my head."

Tony reached out with his free hand, laying it on Gibbs' leg for a moment, calming the other man down. "Try to look at the positive, Jethro. If that spirit hadn't ended up in your basement, hadn't turned you into a fox, odds are we wouldn't be closer, I wouldn't have acknowledged how I felt, and you wouldn't be considering, well, us."

Gibbs sighed and reached up to rub at his eyes. "I'm tired," he grumbled.

Tony sat up a bit. "Stay here tonight. Stay the whole weekend if you want. We can go to your house, try the basement, get you back to working on the boat." He smiled as he saw Gibbs relax again. "Abby called just before you got here. Her friend thinks he can help."

"He's dealt with these spirits before?"

Tony shrugged. "I don't know about that… but Abby says he's a Native American shaman, so he knows more than we do." He caught the flash of relief in Gibbs' eyes. "He's in Canada now, but Abby says he'll be back in a week or so."

"Sounds good." His brow furrowed a bit. "A shaman, huh?"

Tony grinned and pushed off the couch to get to his feet. "Yeah. Suck it up, Marine." He reached out and took Gibbs' hand, helping the other man up. "Come on, let's get some sleep." He glanced at the couch. "We can share the bed again, if you want."

Gibbs' eyes searched Tony's and then he nodded. "Yeah."

They headed for the bedroom, Tony grabbing his phone as he shut off the light in the living room. They were on call, so rule three definitely applied.

They took turns in the bathroom; Tony got in bed first, and waited until Gibbs joined him before turning out the light. There was no hesitation this time as Tony turned toward Gibbs, spooning up behind him and laying his arm over Gibbs' side. He pressed a kiss to the other man's hair. "Night, Jethro."

"Night, Tony."

They were silent for a while, and Tony was just drifting off to sleep when Gibbs' spoke. "This is why I missed being the fox," he said quietly.

Tony's arm tightened around him. "Don't have to miss it anymore, no matter what happens between us."

Gibbs' hand found Tony's, lacing their fingers together. "Glad to hear it."

They fell asleep soon after, Gibbs' head tucked under Tony's chin. The dream they shared that night had them back on the mountain, curled up in the tent, fox and man together looking up through a transparent roof at the tree branches swaying above them and the stars beyond.

END

Author's Note: The sequel will be forthcoming after a detour back to the FIOverse… look for Silver Fox Fallout, which will deal with Gibbs trying to handle the aftermath of his transformation and the changes to his relationship with Tony. And yes, it will most likely be much slashier.