The Nation's Disease

                                    

                                          
*Tony's POV*
                          

                          
"Care to explain exactly what that was DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, his voice hard.
                          
"It was exactly what it looked like, boss." I said quietly, moving back into the pen where everyone was standing in shock from what they had just watched.
                          
"You--you said you loved her Tony." Young McGee was more than shocked.
                          
"Well I did love her. I also know where about her fourth tatt is, if you really want to know Abby." It was a small sparrow on her upper thigh.
                          
"What happened to rule twelve?" Gibbs still wasn't showing any sympathy for me.
                          
"It went out of the window months ago." Abby whispered, stepping into defend me.
                          
"What?" Now Ziva was looking just as shocked and confused as McGee was.
                          
"You knew?" Gibbs turned to the forensic scientist, shock radiating through.
                          
"Yeah. Taylor confided it in me when we were out one night and I pushed her for the truth. I never told you because I promised her that I wouldn‘t; and unlike promises, rules were made to be broken." She said.
                          
"Not my rules." Gibbs glared at all who looked at him.
                          
"I know this isn't any of my concern Jethro, but you should be having this out with both Taylor and Tony. It's not fair to lay the blame on just one of them when he's in such a state! He fell in love with a woman and he had to say goodbye to her! You should know how that feels." Ducky said, stepping on ground we all avoided.
                          
Gibbs' eyes floated to the doctor and then around the offices where everyone was looking over, curious as to what was going to happen next in this little soap opera. "Get back to work. All of you." He said loudly, moving back to his own desk to finish his coffee.
                          
Jenny walked over to me and looked down, her eyes soft and filled with wonder.
 "You really loved her, didn't you Tony?" She asked, amazement in her soft voice.
                          
"Yes. I did. Now I just want to forget about it all, if you don't mind director." I said, picking up a pen and shifting my attention back to my paperwork.
                          
Abby rubbed my shoulder apologetically as she passed by, returning to her lab.
                          

                          
"Yeah, Agent DiNozzo! No, I don't think it was about the sex, I think he genuinely loved her. Yeah, I guess he'll learn how to treat women now. I don't understand how he managed to play them for so long. He got what he deserved."
                          
I glared at the agent on his cell, obviously spreading the gossip faster than a bullet. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. He wasn't the first that I had heard passing comment on what had happened earlier that morning.
                          

                          
"Full on making out in the pen. Tongues and everything. Shame it didn't turn steamier. I bet the combination of Connor and DiNozzo would be hot!"
                          
"Whatever, I don't think they were ever in love. Why would she have left if they were so smitten? I bet she caught him cheating on her. Are you kidding me? Of course he would do something like that! It's Anthony DiNozzo!"
                          
"It's a shame really. They did seem pretty upset that they were saying goodbye. She knew she was leaving for a while though. I bet it was just some fling whilst she was here. Nah, it wouldn't be anything serious between them."
                          

                          
I finally knew what kind of reputation I had amongst my fellow agents and those who I thought were my friends. The truth was that they were right. I didn't deserve Taylor after everything that I'd done and the way I'd used women. This was fate's way of making me learn my lesson about the opposite sex. She could break my heart just as easy as I'd broken ex-girlfriend's hearts.