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Title: Boats in the Basement
By: Beverly aka Bev *too*
Pairing: Gibbs/DiNozzo
Fandom: NCIS
Rating: G
Note: I liked Ziva in the beginning but she turned mean over the years. In the end I was really happy to see her go. So this is a liiiiiiiiiitle Ziva-blinkandyoullmissit-bashing.
Summary: He used to build boats in his basement. But not anymore.

***

He used to build boats in his basement.

A weird hobby, yes, he knew that. But it had been a hobby that has saved him many times from going mad. But a weird hobby nonetheless.

All of his wives had shaken their heads, had found it endearing at first, and in the end unnerving.

It had been Tony who had been able to see why he did it. Who had come to appreciate the monotony of the movements that helped him calm his mind. Who had even enjoyed keeping him company. Sometimes he took one of his tools, helped him sand the boat, chattering away about this and that. Sometimes he simply sat on the stairs, listening to the quiet swoosh~swoosh~swoosh.

It had stopped for a little while when he had been together with Sam. One too many awkward moments when he had her pressed up against a wall, or cuddled with her on the sofa, and Tony had stopped to come by unannounced.

He had missed him. A lot had happened since then. Ziva had left. He couldn't say that he missed her.

Much.

While there were people that were able to bring out the best in someone … in the end she most certainly had been someone to bring out the worst in people. She had split his team, though he still wasn't so sure if it had been intentionally or not. She had managed to turn McGee against Tony and that had been unacceptable for him. He was glad that she was back where she belonged. Back in Isreal. And he was glad to have Bishop on his team now. She was smart, clever, and – best of all – married.

Peace had returned to his team, his little family.

Now he was sitting on his sofa, gazing at the door to his basement. A few months ago he might have felt the urge, the *need* to go down there, loose himself in the familiar motions of building and hammering and sawing and sanding.

But not anymore.

Gently, he rested his right hand on the shoulder of the man who was sleeping next to him, head resting peacefully on his lap.

Things had returned to normal. His team was whole again, something it hadn't been ever since Kate. Bishop was good for them. McGee was back to writing, now that he wasn't teased mercilessly for every word he wrote. Abby had taken Bishop into her heart after just a few minutes, loving her clever wit. Ducky and Palmer were back to their usual, friendly banter with no one interfering or trying to turn them against each other.

And Tony?

Tony was currently close to drooling on his left thigh, snoring softly, having fallen asleep on him ten minutes into their movie.

Slowly, carefully so as not to wake Tony, Leroy Jethro Gibbs started to stroke his lover's shoulder.

He used to build boats in his basement. Now he was building his life with Tony.

The end

***