8. Out of Place (John Sheppard)

Out of Place  (John Sheppard)

Tony had found a bar off a side alley because right now, a drink seemed like a good idea.  He was once again getting shipped out like a naughty schoolboy.  The others took it harder than he did.  He’d seen the look in Gibbs’ eyes. Tony could tell that Gibbs blamed him for the Director’s death.

He had too. Still, for once he’d gone to counselling.  It had done him good. It had been like pulling teeth and painful beyond belief.  He’d persevered as he was unhappy with his life and needed a fresh perspective.  When the ship assignment had come in, he’d almost picked up his resignation letter ready to quit.  It would serve them all right.  He hadn’t, Tony would leave with his head high. Rachel, Cate’s sister had helped him realise that is what he wanted.

So here he was, San-Francisco, during Fleet Week.  The whole place was one walking cliche.  The only improvement was since DADT, people were freer with what they wanted.  He’d seen more than a few, couples of every variety and the odd trio.  Tony didn’t care as long as everyone was legal and consenting. It was all cool in his book. It was not his place to judge.

The bar he was drinking at was a quaint dive.  It had a character that Tony adored.  He had many questions he needed to think about, the USS Seahawk, would give him space to think.  He got more than the odd look.  The trouble for Tony it was more, ‘what is a guy like you drinking here’.  Whereas, he was looking for a good night of fun.

The door opened and a group of Marines spilt through it.  They were definite Jarheads and officers too.  Although, what made Tony curious was the fact they were wearing black BDU’s.  The group was fascinating to observe. At the centre of the group, was the commander but he was wearing Air-Force wings.  Now that was curious.  He had to be the commander as there was no one else who could get away with that haircut.

The group toasted him, “To the Colonel, the only guy who can come back from a Hail Mary.”The man blushed and managed to extricate himself from the group. He’d ordered a few rounds so they were okay.  He'd spotted someone at the bar he thought he knew.

“So of all the Gin joints, I find you here?” John said, glad for the chance to catch up with an old friend. Tony whirled around at the butchered movie quote to see an old friend.  “John?”“Hey, Tony,"  John looked just as good as the last time he'd seen him. John wasn't done, asking, "How are you doing?” Tony spluttered because he found himself speaking the truth. “Now, there is a loaded question, you sure you want the answer?” 

John sat on the stool next to him. “So tell me. I got nothing but time.” Tony had a wry smile, “I have tonight. Then I am out on the Seahawk.”

John frowned, “You told me you were sticking it to your old man. You wanted to be a cop.”

They had been close friends growing up.  The strained relationships with their fathers a common ground.  They might have been more at one time.  Still, John wanted the skies and Tony had wanted sports. At the time, you couldn't be that and in a gay relationship.  As a result, they had kept their friendship platonic never exploring their true chemistry.  John had been the one to kick his ass when he realised sports was over.  They'd lost touch when John had gone to Afghanistan.

Tony sighed, “I was, I am. Right now, I am working as a Federal Agent, NCIS.”

Sheppard nodded as he didn’t need any further explanation. After all, he commanded Marines.   “Well, at least we have tonight.”

Tony could work with the short term.  They caught up on all the things they’d missed in each other’s life.  It was crazy all the things they could share.  John had paled when he’d heard about the plague.  Tony had paled hearing about the edited version of his recent field promotion.  

John looked at the drink in his friend’s hand.  He could see a dangerous path his friend was starting to slide down. “You don’t need that you know.”

Tony sighed, “Well it's drink or sex, and I was trying to turn over a new leaf.”

“Why?” John smirked at him and all the blood rushed south in Tony’s body. “We could finally do something about us.”

There it was. Jesus, John had never been shy about getting what he wanted in life.  Tony had taken a leaf out of his book in going to be a cop.  He couldn’t believe that they were getting a second chance.   

John needed Atlantis but he deserved some happiness of his own.  All his team had found someone else.  The job was his life and he would admit that but he wasn’t naive.  He couldn’t do it forever as much as he wanted.  

Tony looked at his old friend, and John looked good even in BDU’s.  “Anyone ever tell you that you look like your walking sin on legs.”

John snickered, “I could do so much more.  Come on Tony, take a chance. You are out of place here.”It was just a hand but at the same time, it was so much more.

~*~

Tony walked onto the ship with his head held high, and a delicious ache in his ass that he would savour.  He spoke with the commander and got himself squared away.  He went and found the Master-chief, the one in charge of PT.  John had told him that a long ass run could shake off the worst stresses.  

He was right.  Seeing John, and reinvigorating their old thing had been brilliant timing.  It had helped Tony remember when his Dad had shipped him off.  He’d survived it as a kid and he could reinvent himself again.  

The possibilities were endless.  He wasn’t too friendly with the crew.  The enlisted felt like he was there to spy on him.  He was bored, he could admit it.  The Commander of the boat, Captain Owens, was a damn good one.  It meant there was little ill-discipline as they feared what he would do.

It led to an easy assignment.  It might have hurt that no one in Washington had tried to contact him.  He got the message, yet again, his family was shutting him out.

He did get a daily phone call from John.  It was a life-line to stop him from going crazy.  John never explained how he always managed to get a phone call, though to the ship even at sea.  He left it with a mysterious, “The old girl likes me happy.”Tony didn’t question it.  He just focused on the part where John had said Tony made him happy.  “Well, the feeling is mutual.”

~*~

Tony was in his makeshift office. “Captain, what can I do for you?”“You have training in terrorism-related cases?”  The question was random but Tony answered him.

“Yeah, I am a trained investigator. You need an answer, I follow the clues.” It was as good as explanation as any.  Tony hadn’t realised just how well investigative skills transferred.   

The Captain had his answer in six hours.  He couldn’t believe it.  He put a call into his friend, Phillip Davenport.  He didn’t get why DiNozzo was with him, not that he was complaining.  It was just the Agent' talents would go to waste on his boat.

~*~

“Hello, Captain Owens.”

Owens sighed, “Can you tell me why Agent Anthony DiNozzo got booted off the MCRT.  I’m telling you he is wasted out here. Although you should thank him. He was the one to help you with your ... homeworld problem.”

Davenport had made the mistake of putting the call on speaker. He was in a meeting with Maj-General Jack O’Neill.  The smile on his friend’s face was not good. He found himself saying,

“Now Jack, you can’t steal my Agent.”Jack snorted, “Your friend said it to you. Your agent is wasted out there and I just so happen to have a big ship that could do with an investigator.  He would fit in well on Atlantis.”

Davenport was going to chew Vance out.  He told him to find the mole, not kill his best team.  When you had a closure rate the likes of the MCRT, you don’t mess with it.  He had to find some way to battle O’Neill, which would mean he needed to keep his wits.

Phillip was smug, “You won’t do it. DiNozzo is loyal to Gibbs.  He has stuck it out far longer than any other Agent.” Jack smirked, “If he could keep up with ole Gunny I want him more.” 

Davenport wanted to bash his head against his desk, “He never stayed in a job more than two years before NCIS.” 

Jack smirked because he had Phillip at a disadvantage, “In the first case, it was not safe to stay in the city.  In the second case, his partner was dirty and betrayed everything DiNozzo believed in.”

Phillip frowned, realising now that he was missing something.  “What am I missing?”Jack shrugged, “Let me put it this way.  I have a trump card that will assure his transfer.”Davenport figured he was bluffing. “Oh, what is that?”Jack stood up, “His boyfriend.  I will order him to fly to the Seahawk.  You know him, he is the CO on Atlantis.”Davenport was glad he was sitting down. He would have fallen back in shock.  Tony DiNozzo and Colonel Sheppard.  Jack snickered, knowing why he was shocked. He may have been too but John had approached him to do the appropriate background check.  It was critical, considering how important John was to the Stargate programme.  

~*~Tony had been told to report to the flight deck for a surprise.  Owen’s smile as he said it, freaked Tony out.  Still, Tony did as ordered.  The chopper pilot was good. The chopper set down with not even a bump in high wind.  Tony’s smile was blinding because he knew who was flying the helicopter. It could only be John.  He ran over and hugged John.  John wasn’t as circumspect for once, kissing him.  It had been a long two months with just phone calls to satisfy them.

The crowd cat-called and John just bowed.  He’d been hanging around with too many Marines to be affected by their humour.

Tony was still buzzing as he asked John, “What are you doing?”John hadn’t let go of his hand. “Well, I want to show you a cool place that I think we’ll both like. Best of all, General O’Neill wants to offer you a job too,”

“What’s the catch?”John laughed, “Well, there are crazy scientists, crazier Marines.  Crisis, well they are part of daily life but there will be one good thing I can promise if you Agent Afloat for my base.”

“Oh yeah.” Tony asked, guessing he already knew the answer.John smirked but it was smug as he knew he’d win this fight. “Me. I just need you to sign a ton of forms to show you my base.”

~*~Meanwhile, in Washington, Vance was getting his ass chewed out.

“What were you thinking fucking with the MCRT?” The security demanded to know. Vance had a job to do. “You gave me the mandate to find the mole and bring the agency into the twenty-first century.” 

Davenport pinched his nose, “Well, you just lost the team with the best closure rate.  So you won’t have that kudos to trade on.”

Vance wasn’t following. “Agent Gibbs is still with us, Sir.”Davenport had to laugh at that naivety.  He liked Gibbs, he did. It was just the sun did not shine out of his backside like he had many believing in Washington.  “The closure rate. It has consistently remained the highest of all the agencies in the last eight years.” “I'm aware.”Davenport was huffing down the phone.  He was not amused that much Leon could tell.  “Yes, so tell me. Who is the one Agent who has been on the team for that entire time?” Vance racked his brain because he knew Gibbs hadn’t.  Christ, it was DiNozzo. It couldn't be. “Sir, if you are unhappy, I will recall DiNozzo.”

Vance winced at that hollow chuckle.  It was not a good sound to hear from your boss.  “Too late, you will be getting the paperwork from Homeworld Security.  SAC DiNozzo is transferring to their agency on orders of the President.”

Vance put the phone down.  Davenport had called DiNozzo SAC so there was a promotion in the transfer too.  He would have thought it was a joke accept this was Presidential Order. He’d missed something and he hated getting things wrong.  “Cynthia, Pull the whole of Agent DiNozzo’s file. Do not let anyone disturb me unless it is an emergency.”   ~*~

Tony’s life was one giant sci-fi routine once he signed the forms.  It was okay. He was beloved on the base as he had brought with him his movie collection on hard drives.  Oh, and the other small fact that he made the base commander happy. 

He snuggled closer to John. He didn’t care. The lights were down for the movie but none of John’s soldiers cared about his orientation. He’d go through hell for them and that was all that mattered in their eyes.

“You okay?” John asked.

Tony nodded, “I’m happy. We’ve finally found our place.”

Sheppard smiled and Tony saw the light flicker brighter for a second.  Atlantis loved his boyfriend as much as he did.

“Yeah, it’s quite the place,” was all John said.It didn’t matter.  The one thing they’d both wanted to do since they were kids was to fit in somewhere and find their place.  He couldn’t believe it had taken going to the ass end of the galaxy but it worked for them.

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