Piece by Piece
Tony stood in the doorway, watching his husband and daughter playing in the back yard. As he watches he thinks back to his own childhood and relationship with his father.
And all I remember is your back
Walking towards the airport, leaving us all in your past
12-year-old Tony sat in the airport with his father, questioning why he was being sent away.
"But Dad, why do I have to go?" he asked.
"I told you, it'll do you good," Senior replied. "Make you a man." He looked up at the board. "Look your flight is boarding, so you need to go." He handed Tony his bag. "I'll call next week to see how you are," he told his son coolly, "and if I'm not busy, you can home for the holidays."
He then turned and walked away without a single glance back, leaving his son alone and confused.
Tony gave a sad smile as he remembered his father's words. That call never came, and neither did his visit home.
I travelled fifteen hundred miles to see you
Begged you to want me, but you didn't want to
Tony arrived at his father's office building for the first time in years. He looked around as he remembered the few times he had to go there when his nanny was sick, but his father still had to work. He stopped in front of the door to the main office. He took a breath before knocking and entering.
Anthony DiNozzo Senior looked up as his door opened. "Junior? This is a surprise."
"Hi Dad," Tony replied nervously. "I wanted to see you."
"Was there something you needed?"
"Not really," Tony answered. "I wanted to see you to tell you I've been offered a great job in DC, as a navy cop."
Senior scoffed. "What do you know about the navy?"
Tony tensed as he sensed another argument brewing. "I might not know the ins and outs of the navy, but I know a lot about being a cop," he defended.
"Of course you do," his father mocked.
"What's that supposed to mean?" the younger man asked heatedly.
"How you have lasted this long is beyond me. Being a cop requires good instincts, team work, and good detective skills. You need to be able to take things serious. You, my son, have none of those things."
Tony let out a frustrated sigh. "You know we only speak once every few years, and we see each other even less. I could have called to tell you all this, but I wanted to tell you in person. For you to see the man I've become, and see you be proud of me, like any other dad would be. But you can't even do that."
"I'll be proud of you when you do something that makes me proud."
But piece by piece he collected me
Up off the ground where you abandoned things
Piece by piece he filled the holes
That you burned in me at six years old
Tony was lying in solitary confinement, struggling to breathe as the plague attacked his body, when Gibbs walked in.
"You hanging in there, DiNozzo?" he asked.
Tony coughed. "Yeah, Boss."
"Good, cause you're not allowed to die," Gibbs told him. "That's an order."
"Got it, Boss." Cough. "Does my dad know?"
Gibbs sighed, not wanting to hurt his friend but unable to lie to him. "I've left messages. He'll get them eventually."
Tony closed his eyes, overcome with emotions Senior still provokes in him. "He already knows, he just doesn't care."
Gibbs, hating seeing him with such sadness, took Tony's hand and said, "Tony, look at me." He waited until Tony opened his eyes and turned towards him, and with his sincerest tone, he said, "If he can't be bothered to visit his only son in hospital, that's his problem. You don't need him. You've got me, and I'm not going anywhere."
Tony gave him a small smile and tried to control his emotions as tears filled his eyes.
And you know, he never walks away
He never asks for money
He takes care of me
He loves me
Piece by piece he restored my faith
That a man can be kind, and a father could stay
Tony was sat on Gibbs' couch, having just been released from hospital. Gibbs walked in, carrying two mugs of coffee, and sat next to Tony.
"I've ordered pizza for dinner," Gibbs told him. "Is that okay?"
Tony looked at him with a tired look on his face, and nodded as he took his mug. "You have to let me stay here, I would've been fine in my apartment."
Gibbs glared at him. "Tony, you're still recovering after nearly dying from the plague. You can barely stay awake for more than an hour at a time. You need someone to keep an eye on you." His paused for minute as he thought about what he wanted to say next. "Besides, I wouldn't have insisted you stay, if I didn't want you here."
Tony looked at him, surprised. It wasn't often that Gibbs implied that he cared. He was about to respond when there was a knock at the door.
"Pizza's here," Gibbs said as he stood.
"My wallet's in my jacket if you need it," Tony told him.
"It's okay, I've got it."
And all of your words fall flat
I made something of myself and now you wanna come back
Tony opened the door to his apartment and was shocked to his father standing there.
"Dad?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"
"Can I come in?"
Tony hesitated for a second, before stepping aside and letting Senior in. Tony closed the door and turned. "Why are you here?"
Senior held up a newspaper. "I saw the article about that big case you had last month," he told his son. "You were named as one of the lead investigators, so I thought I would come and see how you were doing."
"So what?" Tony said. "You read how well I'm doing at my job, and suddenly decide to make time to see me."
But your love – it isn't free, it has to be earned
Back then I didn't have anything you needed so I was worthless
"Not exactly," Senior replied. "I had a business function in the area, and I thought perhaps you would like to accompany me."
"Why?"
"There will be a lot of important people there, and no doubt most will have seen the same article that I did, and will be very interested in meeting you."
A sudden realisation dawned on Tony. "You're not here for me," Tony accused. "You just want me at this party, so that everyone could see your successful son."
"Junior …"
"No!" Tony yelled angrily. "You don't get to call me that, not any more. All these years you've acted like I didn't exist, because I didn't have anything that was worth your time."
"It wasn't like that," Senior insisted.
"It was exactly like that!"
Suddenly the door opened, and Gibbs walked in. He looked between the two men. "Am I interrupting?"
"Yes …"
"No," Tony interrupted his father. "Senior was just leaving."
"Junior …"
"Don't. Just leave and don't come back."
Realising he wasn't getting anywhere, Senior left, the door slamming behind him.
But piece by piece he collected me
Up off the ground where you abandoned things
Piece by piece he filled the holes
That you burned in me at six years old
Tony sighed and fell heavily onto the couch. Gibbs walked over and sat next to him. He put his arm around Tony and pulled him close.
"Are you ok?" he asked in concern.
"Yeah," Tony sighed. He closed his eyes and sank into the embrace. "Why did he have to come back now? I thought I dealt with my feelings towards, but then he just shows up with no warning, and it's like I'm a little kid again. He didn't even try and fight for a relationship with me. He realised he wasn't going to get what he wanted and left again. Why does he keep doing this?"
Gibbs leant back, pulling Tony with him and held him tighter. "I don't know why he does what he does, but I do know that that man doesn't deserve you." He picked up Tony's left hand, and thumbed over the ring on his finger. "You deserve the world, and I promise I will do everything I can to give it to, even after we're married."
Tony looked at the ring, then looked up at his fiancé. "I don't want the world, Jethro, I just want you," he smiled.
"And you have me," Jethro promised. "I'm not going anywhere."
And you know, he never walks away
He never asks for money
He takes care of me
Cause he loves me
"I, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, take you, Anthony DiNozzo, to be my husband."
"I, Anthony DiNozzo, take you, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, to be my husband."
"Have you ever thought about having kids?"
Tony looked up sharply, eyes wide. "What?"
Jethro looked down at where Tony was lying across him. "Kids, Tony. Have you ever thought about it?"
"Um, yeah," Tony replied slowly. "I just wasn't sure if you wanted to be a dad again." He turned and looked at the photo of Kelly that was on the shelf.
Jethro followed his gaze and gave a sad smile. "A few years I might not have even considered it, but I also said I'd never get married again." He looked back down at his husband. "I love you, Tony. You accept her has part of my life, and I want nothing more than for us to have our own family."
Tony smiled at him. "I would love that."
Piece by piece he restored by faith
That a man can be kind and a father could stay
4-year-old, Katie, had been in care for 18 months, and today was the day she got to go home with her new family.
"Katie," her care worker said. "Your daddies are here."
Katie looked up, and saw Tony and Jethro getting out of the car. She squealed and ran towards them. "Daddy! Papa!"
They looked towards the shout, and suddenly Tony had his arms full of child. He hugged her tightly. "Hey, Katie. Are you ready to go home?"
She nodded excitedly.
Piece by piece
A joyful squeal jolted Tony back to the present. He looked up to see his daughter being chased by her papa. He smiled widely at the love he felt watching the scene. Seeing the happiness and joy on his daughter's face, he promised himself he will never let her down, the same way he was.
Piece by piece I fell from the tree
I will never leave her like you left me
And she will never have to wonder her worth
Because unlike you I'm going to put her first
"Daddy!" Katie laughed as ran towards him. "Papa's trying to get me!"
Tony picked her up. "Is he now?" he asked in mock surprise. "We can't have that. But you know something?" Katie shook her head. "Papa's not the one who's got. I have." Tony began to tickle her.
Katie giggled and squirmed in his arms. "Daddy!"
Tony stopped, and held her close. "I love you, baby."
"Love you, too, Daddy."
And you know, he'll never walk away
He'll never break her heart
He'll take care of things
He'll love her
Jethro looked at Tony in concern, as he took Katie into his arms. He turned to their daughter. "Sweetheart, why don't you go and find what we were working on for daddy."
"Okay," she said, as he put her down.
Jethro took Tony by his hand and pulled him close. "Everything okay?" he asked.
"Yeah," Tony replied. "Just thinking."
"About what?"
"About how different her childhood is going to be compared to mine."
Jethro sighed as he held Tony tighter. "Tony…"
Tony looked at him. "It's okay," he assured him. "My life is good now. I have a man who loves me and a beautiful, amazing daughter. So, thank you."
"For what?"
"For giving me the family I always wanted," Tony told him. "For being there for me, and for loving her."
Jethro kissed him gently. "I will always be there and love both of you. I promise."
And piece by piece he'll restore my faith
That a man can be kind and a father should be great