AN: I love the supposed relationship that Tony and Gibbs have…the Father-son relationship. But to be honest, is there really a whole lot of canon to support what we fans love to propagate? I'm not so sure. Anyway, as you know by now, I am NOT DPB, Paramount, or CBS (damn).
Summary: Post "Singled Out". Gibbs doesn't seem to remember Tony as well as he should. Could he have forgotten something important? Kind of a sequel to my other story "Singled Out," but can be read as a standalone with little problem.
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Of the Greatest Importance
Chapter 1
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Early morning dew clung to the windows of the bullpen and the hazy light of near dawn diffused through the droplets. Although it was still relatively early, one person moved purposefully around their desk, shuffling papers and folders.
"Damn it!" Special Agent Anthony D. DiNozzo paused momentarily to examine the thin line of blood now forming on his index finger. Grabbing a tissue, he wrapped it around the injured digit and resumed filing. Although he had been shoved back to his old desk last night, he still hadn't gotten around to organizing his files. Of course, the one man drinking party he had just a few hours ago put a significant delay on his work.
Unable to sleep despite the alcohol, Tony called a cab and came into work several hours early—a hangover headache the only testament to the abuse he had put upon his body the previous night. With the last folder replaced neatly in the filing cabinet behind his desk, Tony walked over to the windows and placed his head against the cool glass.
He sighed and steam clouded the window. Drawing a smiley face in the cloud, he quickly wiped it away, not believing the lies he continued to tell himself. Still leaning against the window, Tony replayed the conversation he had with Ducky last night.
"So why turn down such an opportunity?"
"I—," his voice faltered and he sat back down. "I don't know. I just don't know."
If he was honest with himself, Tony knew that the only reason he stayed was so that he could prove he was worth keeping around. Prove he was a valuable member of the team. Prove that he didn't deserve the brusque dismissal and demotion he had received. Prove that he was worth more than just "you'll do." But as soon as he thought of all the reasons he stayed, they died, sounding childish in his head. His whole career—his whole life, he had been dismissed and underestimated, and each time he brushed it off with stoicism or jokes.
This time though, he felt as though he had been abandoned by the man he looked to as a mentor—a father. Maybe that's why it hurt so badly this time. Maybe that's why he still flinched when his boss called him "Tim." Tony had allowed someone to get too close.
Tony was ripped from his thoughts as the elevator dinged, the smell of fast food slowly filling the air.
"Morning, Probie." Tony inwardly sighed with relief.
"Hey, Tony. A little early for you isn't it?"
"Just in case you hadn't noticed McMuffin," he said eying the McDonalds bag. "I haven't been late for over three months."
"Yeah well that was when you were in charge. Now that you're not the lead agent anymore, I thought you'd just go back to being late all the time."
"Sorry to disappoint." Tony smiled as he turned on his heel towards the head.
A few minutes later Ziva and Gibbs walked out of the elevator.
"Morning, Boss, Ziva." McGee stated with all his MIT smugness just as Tony returned from the men's room.
"You're late, DiNozzo. I'm in charge now, so you can't just stroll in whenever you want." Gibbs growled without looking up from his desk.
McGee opened his mouth to defend the chastised agent, but Tony stopped him mid-breath.
"Sorry, Gibbs." Tony's voice was pinched as he took his seat. "Won't happen again."
The morning trudged on in silence except for the steadily intensifying rumble of thunder. It was nearly 1100hrs by the time Gibbs's desk phone shrilled in the still bullpen.
"Gibbs…right…on our way." The phone was placed back onto the receiver with a heavy-handed click. "Grab your gear. We got a dead midshipman at Annapolis."
The three obediently picked up their packs and headed towards the elevator. As the metal doors slid shut, the sky lit up with brilliant lightning.
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The drive to Annapolis blessedly short. McGee had called shot gun and Tony didn't have to fight in him to deny the Probie his front seat. In quiet relenting Tony sat in the back of the truck. He felt utterly ridiculous. First he been kicked out of his desk and now he couldn't even sit shotgun. He thought six years on the team earned him some sort of privilege. Noticing the unusual silence of her partner, Ziva spoke up.
"You know, Tony, mopping around like a wounded puppy isn't very attractive."
"The term is moping, Zee-vah." He said with his usual intonation. "And I am not moping. I'm just…thinking."
"That's why he's so quiet. Can't talk and think at the same time." McGee and Ziva shared a laugh.
By the time they arrived at the academy, Ducky and Palmer had already arrived and several school personnel were taping off the area. Jumping out of the truck, Gibbs quickly headed towards the man in charge.
"You NCIS?"
"Gibbs." He flashed his badge.
"Colonel Dawson."
"What can you tell me Colonel?"
"Not much really." Dawson rubbed the back of his head. "Group came out not too long ago for some afternoon training and during the run, a student practically fell onto the body."
"Do you know who he is?" Gibbs asked.
"He was identified as Jared Haynes. Plebe."
"Who made the ID?"
"His roommate. Jeffrey Naley."
"We'll need to speak with him and the victim's CO."
"Not a problem. Anything else you need, just let me know."
"Will do, Colonel." Gibbs turned and walked over to Ducky. "What do you got for me, Doctor."
Ducky looked at Gibbs, still put off slightly but the sudden formality.
"Well, Jethro, it would seem that our young midshipman here died of severe internal bleeding." Ducky lifted up the cadet's uniform to reveal the massive bruising on his abdomen.
"I don't see any patterns to suggest a blunt object."
"Quite right. I suspect that something in his system caused him to bleed out, but I can't be certain until Abigail performs the appropriate tests."
"Can you tell me the TOD?"
"Given the cool air and exposure to the elements, I'd place his death around 0200hrs this morning."
Gibbs nodded and turned back towards his team.
"David. You're with me. McGee. Bag and tag. DiNozzo. Sketch and shoot."
"Boss," Tony hesitated. "It looks like rain…and getting a little cold."
"Good observation, DiNozzo. I hope you have your slicker." Gibbs said as he exited the truck and headed towards the admin building with Ziva. "McGee! DiNozzo! Get a move on it!"
Tony sighed, grabbed his coat and camera from the truck and briskly walked away towards the crime scene. He didn't see the sympathetic look from Ziva nor hear the concerned comment from McGee.
"Boss, you sure that's a good idea?"
"He's a big boy. A little rain never killed anyone."
"Boss—"
"McGee! We have a job to do. I don't know what you learned from DiNozzo while I was gone, but you don't question the chain of command."
"Sor—" McGee's voice died under a crash of thunder.
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"Lieutenant Wilks. When was the last time you saw Haynes?" Gibbs and Ziva had tracked the victim's CO to the mess hall within a few minutes of leaving McGee and Tony outside.
"Last night around 2200. He was on latrine duty for poor conduct earlier in the day." Wilks said after swallowing a mouthful of coffee.
"What kind of poor conduct?" Ziva asked.
"Well, during hand-to-hand combat training he took a swing or two at another student."
"That is the point of hand-to-hand combat, yes?"
"Well sure, but that's in the ring. Haynes was gunning for another student he wasn't even fighting."
"Is this kind of behavior typical?"
"Not that I had noticed, but I had gotten a report from one of Haynes's teachers about attitude problems towards a classmate."
"Same student?"
"No. Different kid. The report was never followed up so I just let it rest, thinking that boys will be boys."
"I'd like to get the names of both students Haynes apparently had problems with. Also, we'd like to speak with Haynes's roommates."
"Of course. Follow me and I'll grab my report."
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Outside, the clouds had finally broken, dumping rain in droves upon the wooded area where McGee and Tony were trying to work.
It was slow progress, but after nearly an hour and a half multiple photos were taken and everything from leaves to a soda can had been bagged and tagged. The two were heading back to the truck when suddenly the soil gave way to the rain and Tony lost his footing. He tumbled a few feet down the hill before cursing the mud and wet that now seeped through his jeans.
"Tony!" McGee hurried down the slippery incline as quickly as he could. "You alright man?"
"I'm fine, Probie…" Tony paused and looked down at the equally muddy camera. "But I won't be when Gibbs finds out how bad I messed up."
Of course, as soon as Tony said it, Gibbs walked within earshot.
"What did you do now, DiNozzo?" Gibbs took one sideways glance at the dripping camera and let loose a string of explicatives like the team had never heard before.
"God damn it! You had better hope Abby can still get something from that! This is your second warning!" Gibbs was furious. "Get in the truck."
The team collectively flinched from the tone, and did as they were told. Again, Tony sat silently in the back of the truck, still dripping and shivering from the long exposure to the rain and mud.
TBC…
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AN: Okay, you know the deal. REVIEW! There should be some whumping in the near future and I'm sure you have an idea of what's gonna happen. It's a little late, so I apologize for any inconsistencies. If you see them, let me know and I'll fix it!
