Chapter Text
Tony was sitting at his desk trying to finish up some reports, ignoring the teasing coming from Ziva and McGee. His spirit animal, Cagney was pacing around the front of his desk. He tried to ignore the snow leopard, but he was feeling the anxiety himself. In fact, ever since rescuing Ziva from Somalia, Tony had felt unsettled. He knew why too. When he was in the middle of being interrogated, the truth serum that had been given to him was one that had been circling around in the black market for some time. It had been manufactured specifically for Sentinel DNA. One of the side effects of the drug was Tony’s senses were blown wide open. He hadn’t been faking when he doubled over in pain and flashes of his guide being stabbed kept going through his mind. It pissed him off that he was over three-thousand miles away and his guide was being hurt and he had no way of getting to him.
“DiNozzo,” he heard his name being yelled across the bullpen. He looked around and realized he must have been close to a zone out. Cagney growled at Gibbs, who stayed near his desk. Tony knew his spirit animal didn’t like Gibbs for some reason.
“Yeah boss?” Tony couldn’t quite keep the confusion out of his voice as he looked up at Gibbs.
“Case, DiNozzo.” He narrowed his eyes at Gibbs but didn’t come-back at him with one of his usual smart comments. Something was terribly wrong, and it had nothing to do with whatever case they were being called out on.
“Yeah, be there in a second.” He reached out to grab his backpack when he fell to the floor and doubled over in pain. This wasn’t physical pain, and it wasn’t even his. This was pure emotional pain. Grabbing the side of his desk he gripped it tight and struggled to pull out of the grip of the staggering emotions that had assaulted him.
Tony had learned long ago how to pull himself out of a zone out. He didn’t trust most Conservators, and there was a time or two when a guide had tried to force a bond on him. He had been quite a bit younger at the time, and they were facilitated by his father. Sr. only thought of the prestige that having a Sentinel son would bring him. He never considered the damage it would have done to Tony mentally. He vowed then to always protect himself, hence the carefully created playboy persona. The only one he had ever let help him in that way was Kate. He often used his memories of her as a focal point to help him after her death.
He felt someone come up to his side, but he didn’t move. He was concentrating, blocking everything out and focusing entirely on exactly where the emotions were being projected from. He barely felt it when Cagney pressed against his side, his hand automatically went to him, laying on the animal’s head and grounding himself.
“Tony?” he heard McGee asking, the concern evident in the probie’s voice.
“I’m fine, just don’t touch me,” he said harsher than he meant to. Slowly he stood on shaky legs, grabbed his pack and started to leave opposite of the team.
“DiNozzo, where the hell are you going?” Gibbs yelled after him.
“Boss, he’s in trouble and I have to go.”
“Case, DiNozzo.”
“Screw the case Gibbs. This is more important.” He started towards his car after they had piled in the elevator and made it downstairs. Gibbs tried to grab him but Tony caught his wrist.
“Don’t touch me Gibbs. He’s in trouble and I have to go.”
“Who?”
Tony pressed his lips together and stared at his boss. A man he had once respected and cared for, but slowly he was starting to lose that respect. He knew with his Sentinel abilities that several lettered agencies had been after him. He had turned them all down. Ever since Africa, though, those offers had started to look better and better, especially one in particular.
“I just have to go.” Tony turned and started towards his car, Cagney disappeared and Tony had the distinct impression that the animal was satisfied that he was leaving.
“DiNozzo, get back here,” Gibbs yelled across the car park.
“No.”
“What is so goddamned important enough for you to be on the verge of insubordination?”
Tony glared at Gibbs and after getting in his car and starting it he only said two words.
“My guide.” He rolled his window up and peeled out of the parking garage hoping that Aaron was okay.