I know I should be working on "Worlds apart", but I watched a movie about the German terrorist group RAF last week. The RAF (Red Army Fraction) operated in Germany in the 60s and 70s and wanted to get rid of Imperialism and Capitalism. On their way they killed several hundred people in kidnapping and bombings, even executing some higher-ups they blamed for being capitalistic. Most of the leaders of the so-called "first generation" committed suicide in prison, one female was released two years ago and the last one will stay in prison for the rest of his life. So let's just say, I don't feel too comfortable writing about terror and arms dealing at the moment.
Instead I had some ideas to add to my previous one-shot, so here it is!
McGee curiously watched the ongoing interrogation from the dark observation room. He could see Tony walking up and down in front of the victims dauntingly, trying to bait them with his intimidating words.
The door next to him opened and he greeted Ziva with a nod. This was far too interesting to miss.
"What does Tony think he's doing? What about rule #1? THE rule?"
Tim just cocked his eyebrows. "You mean 'Never let the suspects stay together'?" Ziva nodded emphatically.
"I think we should trust Tony on this one."
Ziva's eyebrows rose. "Trust Tony? Did I just hear you correctly, Tim? *You* want to trust Tony?" A smile played across her lips.
"Hey, it's not that bad, is it? Just because he and I may not always agree personally…" only then did he notice the grin on Ziva's face. "Oh forget it. Unusual circumstances call for unusual measures. And we know they are more likely to confess when questioned together."
Ziva just 'mmph'ed. She clearly didn't agree. "Gibbs is so going to flip…", she muttered, before turning back to the window.
Tony walked around the suspects slowly, circling them, making them uneasy.
"You know the times we live in, guys. I just have to say the word terrorist", he rested his hands on the table and leaned his head down towards the younger one of the suspects and whispered "and you'll be gone a long time…."
"Hey, that was my line!" McGee enraged in the room next door like a petulant child.
"Relax, McGee. Like you said, unusual times call for unusual measures." Ziva laughed at him. "Now, hush, I think they are about to break."
The younger, male suspect looked terrified. And Tony was sure he could make out tears in his eyes. This alone almost made him feel sorry for his words. Almost. The older, female suspect seemed to notice too, as she now faced her friend.
"You cannot say anything. Never. You promised." Her voice was quiet, not meant for Tony's ears, but he heard it none the less. He was almost proud of her resolve. But this were suspects. It was no place for him to feel something like pride, he reminded himself. With a quick glance at the mirrored wall, he faced the two people in front of him again.
Funny, how he always expected to see the people in the next room through the one-way mirror, although he *knew* it was impossible. But he knew they were there, expecting results, a confession preferably.
His voice was now even quieter, more threatening.
"You know you can't escape. You are going to stay here for as long as it takes."
The younger suspects eyes shot up at Tony and now he sure could see the tears ready to fall. But his companion intervened before he could reveal anything.
"Ben!" She sounded pleading, like she almost didn't believe in her own words anymore. But the younger suspect, clearly more susceptible, didn't seem to notice. He nodded begrudgingly, his lower lip trembling suspiciously.
Tony sighed. They seemed to be tougher than expected. He began circling them again predatory. He knew he almost had them, if it wasn't for the girl. But he wouldn't be in his current rank if he hadn't something left up his sleeve.
He smiled deviously, coming to stand in front of them. He put his hands flat on the table, leaning down. "Why don't you-"
Just then the door to his right flew open, hitting the wall behind it. He spun around and could have sworn he heard McGee's and Ziva's 'shit' from the next room.
"DiNozzo! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
The two people he had just questioned were far too stunned to say anything, let alone move. Apparently this applied to Tony as well.
"For God's sake! What are you doing to my kids?!" An enraged Abby shouted at him. This seemed to do the trick for Tony as well as the kids sitting at the interrogation table.
"Hey Abby, one is mine, okay?!" Abby got too carried away with the kids sometimes. But he could barely be heard over the five year-old's cries of "Mummy, Mummy", as Maddie made a dash for her mother.
Tony let out a huge breath and put his hands on his hips, while turning around to the still seated three year-old at the table, his tears silently flowing over his cheeks. They were so busted. Tony went over to his adorable son, while Abby glared daggers at him over the shoulder of her sobbing daughter, cradled in her arms.
He had dark curls, like his mother, and dark beady eyes accompanied by a small snub nose. Tony quickly made is way over to him and hauled him into his arms. Ben automatically hid his face in Tony's neck and clung to him with a fierce grip.
They were quite a sight presented to McGee and Ziva when they came in from the corridor. Both of them cradling a child to their chest, rubbing soothing circles on their backs, Abby glaring for what it was worth and Tony looking rather sheepish.
When Maddie noticed her dad, she immediately reached her little arms for him, but McGee was adamant.
"No way, Madeleine McGee. We know you did it." He crossed his arms in front of him, which only made his daughter sob again. Ziva winced internally as she made her way over to Tony and Ben, Tony leaning against the table. Who would have known that McGee had such a backbone with his daughter. She laid her hand on Ben's back and tried to sooth him, while Tony pressed his lips to her cheek.
Abby looked at her blonde, pig-tailed daughter appalled. "Did what, Maddie?"
Maddie avoided her mother's gaze by wriggling out of her grasp and walking over to her daddy, hugging his legs.
"I'm sorry, Daddy", she said in a barely audible voice. McGee swallowed, but Tony intercepted before he could give in.
"We should probably move this back to the squad room, they're gonna need the room in a few." And balancing his small son on his hip, he lead the way closely followed by Ziva and the other's, Maddie holding on to her Daddy's hand.
Tony sat down at his desk, his son in his lap, leaning his small frame against his chest, while Ziva sat perched on the edge of her desk, Abby right next to her. Maddie still trailed behind her Dad. "Daddy, puleeease, don't be mad… It was Ben's idea!" She exclaimed, hoping to make her situation better. At this the little boy lifted his head, looked at his own father with huge eyes and shook his head frantically.
Tony just stroked over is curls tenderly. "Relax, buddy, I know it wasn't." As much as Ben followed Maddie around, everybody knew that he was way too quiet and shy to ever come up with any mischief. A trait that had more than once raised the question of paternity in a playful manner. Ben was calm and reserved with anybody but his family, in other words, totally different from Tony *and* Ziva. More like McGee. Whereas Maddie truly was up to no good. An attribute Tim liked to blame on her uncle Tony and his influence.
McGee just raised his eyebrows at his daughter. "Madeleine. What have we told you about lying?!" Maddie pouted with her small, round mouth, something definitely inherited from her father. "I'm sorry…"
Ziva and Abby just smiled at their men. They truly were proud of them. Not that Abby had had any doubt, but Ziva could have never imagined Tony as such a loving and caring father.
"Hey! What's all this?" Their heads shot up towards the platform in front of MTAC.
Maddie waved enthusiastically "Hey Grandpa Gibbs!". Tony and McGee shot each other grins, as Gibbs made his way downstairs scoldingly. "Grandpa Gibbs.. pht! Grandpa my ass…" They had done it again and nodded at each other congratulatingly.
He hoisted the little girl that threw herself at him up in his arms and came to stand in the middle of the desks, glaring at his two male agents.
"What are you all doing here?"
"That what you get for disrupting our Sunday with a case, Grandpa", Tony snickered.
Gibbs shot him a glare, choosing to ignore the smirking women to his left.
"That's still Director Gibbs to you, Tony." Tony immediately sat up straighter, balancing is son. "Sir, yes, Director Sir." Ben played with the buttons on his shirt absent mindedly.
"Anyway, what was that all about?" Gibbs was met with silent looks, so he chose the easiest target. "McGee?" Well, aside from Ben.
"Maddie and Ben decided it was a good idea to cause havoc in autopsy. Gave Jimmy quite the scare when he suddenly heard voices out of the cooling trays. Couldn't immediately detect the walkie-talkies."
Gibbs just grinned and tickled the little girls in his arms. "Good one, Maddie, good one." The little girl giggled.
Ben looked up at his father, his eyes twinkling, a small laugh on his lips. Tony grinned at his son, signalling him that it was okay to be proud of that one. Tony definitely was.