A/N Hiya this is my first fanfic so please read and review, follow and favourite! Constructive criticism is appreciated! Hope you enjoy. Usual disclaimers apply!
Scrunching up a paper ball to throw at McGee, Tony did not think he had ever been so bored in his life. There had been no new cases in over a week and they had already looked through every single cold case that had even a slight chance of being solved. Gibbs had spent most of the week striding round the bullpen drinking coffee whilst Abby had been cleaning and renovating her machines, polishing, scrubbing and pampering them but achieving next to no work. McGee, still being fairly green had actually spent the week working hard on case files, somehow he still believed that where thousands of other agents had failed, he and his computer skills could succeed. It was kinda cute really. Kate had began the week with good intentions but even her good two shoes had worn out and she was currently spinning her chair round aimlessly.
Suddenly, a phone rang and all of their heads shot up, subconsciously hoping that something might have happened that allowed them to get out. Throwing the paper ball at McGee, Tony picked up his ringing phone.
"Hello, Tony DiNozzo crime solving extraordinaire speaking" Tony said cheerfully, grinning at the bemused but disapproving expression on Kate's face.
"Tony?" The voice on the phone asked quietly, "it's your aunt, aunt Anna" she finished, speaking with a British accent.
"Oh Anna, er hi!" Tony said, ignoring Kate's eyeroll, she probably thought it was another girl that he had forgotten to call back, "how are you?".
He hadn't spoken to his aunt since, well ages. They had been close when Tony was younger, her being only seven or eight years older than him. However after his mother had died, the Paddington family had pretty much tied up all contact with the DiNozzos, blaming seniors drinking and emotional neglect for sending her to her untimely death. He had kept in some contact with his Aunt Anna though, enough to send a card at Christmas and on Birthdays. He knew that she had married and had some kids, and the gone through a nasty divorce a few years later, but he honestly had no idea what would make her call.
"Not too good Tones, not too good" Anna replied wearily, using the childhood nickname he had t heard for years. "I'm in the states, me and the kids. Can you come and see us? It's quite important".
"Yeah, of course" Tony replied concernedly, pulling out a pen and pad of paper, "where shall I meet you?"
"The grande plaza hotel" she replied as Tony scrawled down the rest of the address , "shall we say 7 o'clock?".
"Er yeah sounds good?" Tony replied, slightly shellshocked, what was going on! "See you then" he finished before putting down the phone.
Unable to help herself Kate had to ask questions. "Who was that?" She asked with a sly grin, "another girl that you forgot?", she chuckled as Tony raised his eyebrows.
"No Kate" Tony replied happily with a smug smile at being able to prove her wrong. "Just a family thing." Tony smiled at Kate's confusion but could not help but feel just as confused inside.
******
******
The day had seemed to go on for longer than Tony could ever have imagined. Finally though it was 7 o'clock and Tony had arrived at the hotel and was currently standing outside the room ready to knock.
He couldn't help but take a moment to wonder what Anna must look like now, in her youth she had been unusual but stunning with long red hair and blue eyes, her fair skin burning at a touch and freckles sprinkled across her nose. Luckily for her the weather in England had never been too much of a problem on the sunburn front! However tony expected that the stresses of a tricky divorce and raising children as a single mother had taken it's toll and he truly had no idea what the woman opening the door was going to look or be like. Though he would never admit it he was nervous, what was all this even about?
He knocked on the door, not having any idea about how his life was going to change.
"Tony!" said the woman opening the door smiling and opening her arms to embrace him.
"Anna?" Tony asked carefully as he returned the embrace. This did not look the Anna he knew. This woman was pale and gaunt and during the hug he felt like his arms could go twice round her, he placed his arms around her carefully, she felt like she could snap at any moment. There was no flowing red hair only a flowery bandana. The only thing that reassured Tony that this was his aunt was the smile on her face; she had a magnetic smile, the smile that Tony had inherited, the Paddington smile that could be flicked on suddenly and light up a whole room.
"Tony come in, we have lots to talk about" she said herding towards the sofa, still smiling.
"As you may guess Tony, I'm not well" she stated using her stick thin arms to point to her face and bandana. "Doctors have told me I have no more than a week and that I need to set my affairs in order."
Tony just sat in silence, trying to process what was going on and what did it have to do with him?
"Now my finance are all set, they are in a trust fund for the children, open when they turn 21." she said matter-of-factly, ignoring Tony's confusion, "The real problem is of who is going to look after the children until they turn 21. As you may know, there is no one left in my family and there is no way in hell that Ron is getting them." she stated angrily, referring to her ex-husband and the father of her children. Tony did not know much about Ron but did know that it would not be good for the children to live with him.
"er, so what are you saying" Tony asked cautiously, worried he knew what question was coming next.
"I was wondering" Anna began, her voice beginning to shake and tears blossoming in her eyes, "if there was any way you could," she faltered, her voice choking up, "if you could look after them".
Tony just stared, sure he had always imagined himself with kids, and there he was getting older and less likely to have children by the day. But still. Children he had never met. What if they didn't like him? What if he couldn't do it? What about his job? What if he let Anna down?
"They have an au pair, she can take them to school and things, and cook and clean, they just need a guardian." Anna continued, desperation creeping into her voice, "there just no where else for them to go, I can buy you all a house, there's plenty of money" Anna pleaded, tears streaming down her face. "But of course" she added, wiping away her tears and looking at Tony, " I know it's a long shot, you have your own life, you don't have to" she finished, smiling at Tony and making him feel like he really did have a choice. Inside though, Tony's mind was already made up. He was going to look after these kids.
Tony was silent for a moment before cupping his hand under his hand under Anna's chin and wiping away her tears. "Of course I will" Tony stuttered, giving a shy half smile, "they'll be safe with me."
Anna smiled through the tears as Tony smiled back at her.
*****
*****
Tony spent the evening getting to know the children and their au pair. Although the evening was tinged with sadness and a cloud hung over them, all the family kept smiling and got along with Tony like a house on fire. Despite the sadness Tony found himself being dragged into having the most fun he had had in ages.
At nine, Nathan Christopher Paddington was the only child who could really grasp what was really happening and as a result took the longest to warm to Tony, knowing that Tony's arrival could mean that his mothers goodbye was near. Anna had explained to the children that they were going to live with cousin Tony when mummy went to heaven. However as soon as Tony began to chat with him about cars, a friendship began with Tony recounting stories of his past cars and their stories and when Tony mentioned that he was trying to rebuild an old car Nathan's blue eyes lit up and he wouldn't leave Tony's side all evening.
The next oldest was six year old Elliot, Elliot Freddie Paddington wasn't quite aware of what Tony was here for but was able to grasp that his mothers was ill and was hesitant to leave her side, trying to help her in everywhere by fetching her her special cup and offering her food every five minutes. Despite his reluctance to leave his mothers side, he happily told the room that Tony was cool and that they were going to be friends.
The youngest of the family was Carly. Carly Grace Paddington was the princess of the family, parading round in her fairy dress, her three year old self completely unaware of what was going on. She warmed to Tony straight away, utterly fascinated by Tony's funny American accent. She sat on his knee for the whole evening, occasionally wandering over to give her mother a hug. She did seem to have some sense of her mothers illness being very careful when she climbed on her to give her a careful hug despite the protests of a very protective Elliot that she would hurt her.
Only Carly had inherited the bright copper red hair of her mother with they two boys sporting sandy blonde hair. All the children had inherited their mothers freckles and most importantly the bright Paddington smile (even if Elliot's was currently a few teeth short!).
The final member of the family was Natalia Carlotta Garcia, their Spanish au pair. Natalia was practically a model, tall and slim with long and sleek dark brown hair, caramel skin and big dark brown eyes. She was also one of the funniest people Tony had ever met, the kids obviously adored her and she spoke in a mix of garbled Spanish and English which thankfully Tony and apparently the children could understand. She had been with the family for two years through all the treatment and coming to America. Tony sincerely hoped that Talia would help smooth the transition for the children, from her stories it certainly sounded like she wasn't fazed by much!
As the evening drew to a close Tony, much to the children's protests, and after discussing the next steps with Anna and promising to come back tomorrow, had to leave the family that was soon to be his own.
Walking out of the hotel he realised that his life was never going to be the same again!