A/N: I have to apologize for the long wait on this. Real life got in the way big time and while things are still jumbled up, it's better now, so here's the final installment of this little story. I hope you like it and thanks for reading! You guys are awesome! :)

Special thanks to 4depthoflove for the awesome words just when I needed a good kick in the butt xD

Part 3: Forever

Gibbs startled ever so slighty when his computer dinged out of nowhere. He turned his head to look at the screen and then felt his heart miss a beat as he saw Tony's current location pop up. Abby had his cell phone pinged in the hopes of tracking Tony down right after he had left Gibbs' living room that fateful day. He had switched his phone on and off seemingly randomly over the last four months and Gibbs was pretty sure that he had always done it on purpose, like he knew that they would want to know where he was. He had never called him or Abby or anybody else for that matter, though. Gibbs didn't know what to make of that, but he took it as a good sign that he hadn't just vanished from the edge of the earth.

He'd been in Hawaii right after he had fled from Gibbs' house, but had soon moved on to a rehab center somewhere in Florida. Gibbs had been more than glad when they found out about that, but couldn't help but feel even more useless than before. He would have gone through the task with Tony, too. Would have encouraged him and stood by his side, but apparently Tony didn't want him to. Didn't want him to help, didn't want him. He didn't know how it could hurt that much, but it did.

All these dark thoughts he had harbored over the last couple of months suddenly vanished from one moment to the next, however, when it seeped through to his brain where exactly Tony had switched his phone on. Gibbs stared at the address for more than a few moments before he realized that Tony was, of all places, at Delilah's. Gibbs fingers itched to pick up the phone and call her, but he knew that he would have to wait. He had no idea why Tony had decided to visit her, but he fervently hoped that it was to get some sort of redemption for himself. Gibbs knew that Delilah wasn't blaming any of them, had often told him, in these long last four months, how she wished he hadn't come to visit and send Tony into his downward spiral. It wasn't her fault, but he couldn't blame her that she kind of felt that way. It felt like a vicious circle for all of them, but now he couldn't help the sudden bubbly feeling inside of him.

Maybe this would be the day. Maybe this would be the day when the two of them could ease up their guilt once and for all. Maybe this would be the day when Tony found his peace. And maybe… maybe this would be the day when Tony came back to him.

He packed up his stuff, his glance falling at the two empty desks in front of him. He still worked together with Bishop on minor cases, but he hadn't dared to replace McGee and Tony. He knew, really he knew, that Tony wouldn't come back and that McGee couldn't, but he had refused to work with anybody else. Bishop had never said a word, had wisely chosen to stay quiet and he was eternally grateful for that. Now, though, she looked up quizzically.

"Where are you going?" she asked, pausing her typing for a second.

"Tony's in DC," Gibbs replied, already on his way to the elevators.

He could feel her stare on his back, could almost feel the questions she wanted to ask, so he turned around for a moment, knowing that she cared, too, a lot. She had lost McGee and alongside Tony with him, too, after all.

"I'll call you when I know something," he added briskly and received a slight nod and a small smile from his young agent.

He turned around again, praying to whatever god who'd listen, that Tony would come home, too.

*x*

He had debated going to Delilah's, but he knew that if Tony would want to see him, he'd come to his house. So, he had just driven home on autopilot and ever since then had been sitting on the couch where Tony had left him behind four months before. He felt more nervous than he could ever remember and didn't know what to do with himself.

That was until he heard the front door open quietly, heard hesitant footsteps and then after what felt like years and decades he saw Tony standing right in front of him.
He smiled at him almost shyly as he took in the younger man's appearance. He was tan, probably due to his time in Hawaii and Florida, his hair was cut very short, almost Marine-style, and he was wearing a soft smile on his lips. His eyes, Gibbs noticed, were clear, just like they used to be when he had first hired them. Still, they were a bit puffy and he realized that he had to have cried only a short while ago.

But all of that didn't matter. It simply didn't matter because Tony was back in his house, was back where he belonged and Gibbs wouldn't be so stupid to let him go again. Before he could say anything, though, Tony stepped a bit closer and started to speak softly.

"I know you want to say something, Jethro," he said. "And I'll let you kick my ass or slap my head as hard as you need to, but first let me finish?"

It was phrased as a question and Gibbs knew that Tony was actually asking for permission, so he just nodded, encouraging him to continue – all the while feeling his heart beat furiously in his chest.

"I'm sorry for leaving the way I did. I'm sorry for everything I did to you. I just couldn't see good anymore. I'm sorry for dragging you down with me and not calling you afterwards. You have no idea how many times I picked up my phone to give you a call, how many times I just wanted to book a flight to see you… but I just couldn't do it. I didn't want you to have to clean up my mess again. You've done it again and again and I couldn't let you do it again. I needed to do this on my own. But also, and that's far more important, I had to block out thoughts of you… because you have always been the one fixture in my life. Whenever I thought of you for more than a few moments I felt like the most disgusting thing on earth. You were there for me when I was at my low point, you opened up to me and I didn't appreciate it the way I should have. I always knew you loved me and I never told you I did, too. I still do."

Tony had started crying now and Gibbs felt himself choke up, too, but he refrained from getting up and hug the man in front of him, refrained from speaking, knowing that Tony had not yet finished talking – even though his whole body desperately wanted to.

"I've just been at Delilah's place… Have you ever seen Tim's kid? He looks just like him," Tony gave a small smile despite the tears that were still streaming down his face. "I'm really sorry I missed the first few months of his life. I feel like crap that I didn't even know his name was Anthony. Did you know that, Gibbs?"

Gibbs just nodded. Of course, he had known, he had just never told Tony in fear that it would push him over the edge. Maybe he should have, though, he realized as he saw Tony in front of him smile again.

"I'm not going to walk away again, Gibbs. I'm not going to walk away from Tim's kid or from Delilah, or the others. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I just wanted to let you know that I have forgiven myself… to a certain degree. I know that it wasn't my fault entirely that McGee's dead," he choked up for a moment, but fought through it. "But I know now that nobody blames me for it. I can see that now. Talking to Delilah just now was… I can't even describe it. It was what I needed to move on entirely... Gibbs, I haven't touched a drink since I stepped out of this house. I've been to a rehab center and I won't lie to you, it has been so hard to stay sober. But I wanted to see you again and I have sworn to myself that I wouldn't let you catch sight of me drunk ever again. And you won't, I promise. I can't promise you that all will be great again, but I desperately want to make it up to you. I don't know if you want me back, but I will be there if you do. I'll stay sober and I want to do things with you, enjoy whatever you are willing to give me. I missed so much the first time around that I want to make it up to you. I'll stay here or look for an apartment for my own. I don't even care if you want to be friends or lovers… I just hope that I get to see you again from time to time. I don't want to put you on a spot here, I just… I really… I really wanted to see you. That's all."

Gibbs nodded once, trying to get his head around everything Tony had just said. He felt proud, sad, moved and devastated all at once. He didn't know what to do with all of that, but as he watched Tony almost shrink away from him, sheer desperation radiating from him as he waited for Gibbs' answer, he knew that all of that didn't matter. All of it didn't.

He just loved the younger man with every fiber of his being. It had almost killed him when he left his house back then, but he wasn't willing to let him go again. He had lost too many people in his life to let him go just like that – again.

So, he finally stood up and approached the other man. Tony had stopped breathing, he realized, as his arms wrapped around him. Only then, did he release a shaky sigh as he hugged him back – hard.

They didn't speak – all that had needed to be said had already been spoken. They just clung to each other, breathing in each other's scents, making sure that they really were there and together. Gibbs knew it wouldn't be easy, knew that the sheer happiness of having Tony back in his life wouldn't last forever, but he was willing to hold on for the ride – whatever might come their way.

Because one thing did matter: Tony had come home and Gibbs would take care of him.

Forever.