Calm Before the Storm
Tony and Dylan were shooting hoops in the backyard when the postman called out.
"Hey, Tony, I've got a package for your dad here."
Tony jogged over to the mailtruck and greeted the man fondly. "Hey, Mr. Martin, it's good to see you." Mr. Martin had been the postal carrier for their neighbourhood for many years, and he certainly knew Tony and Dylan, Tony's best friend. He held the package out to Tony, along with the rest of the day's mail.
"So, you're freshmen now, right?" Mr. Martin asked both boys.
"Yes, sir," Dylan responded with a smile, "I'm up the road at Community College."
"I'm attending Ohio State," Tony contributed. "We're both out for Christmas break, though."
"Well, I know your dad is glad to have you back home," Mr. Martin smiled.
"Yeah, his slave labour is back," Tony smirked, and Dylan laughed and nodded in agreement. "Though I must say since I graduated he has eased off from working me to death. I think he's missed me since I'm not underfoot anymore."
Mr. Martin chuckled, "When do I need to start holding the mail? I'm assuming that you'll be heading for Mexico soon to spend Christmas."
Tony shook his head, "He hasn't gotten the plane tickets yet. He was waiting to make sure it would be okay for him to leave NCIS for a break. We'll let you know, though, because we'll be out of town a couple of weeks with Abuela."
Mr. Martin nodded and waved good bye to the boys, continuing on his route.
Tony thumbed through the mail and addressed Dylan, "I'll be right back. I'm just going to put this package and the mail inside." He started towards the house and then stopped abruptly. "Uh oh," he muttered, grabbing one of the envelopes and holding it up. "This one might be bad news."
"What's up, Tony?" Dylan followed him as Tony started back towards the house.
Tony didn't answer until they were inside and he had dropped the package and stack of mail on the foyer table.
Waving the letter in front of Dylan he explained, "I think these are my semester grades. Come on, let's go in the kitchen and get something to drink."
The boys helped themselves to Cokes and sat down at the kitchen table. They had been friends since babyhood, and had years of shared experiences.
Dylan frowned, correctly guessing his friend's concern, "Tony, you probably didn't do too badly. Don't borrow trouble. Maybe you've actually done better than you anticipated."
"That's easy for you to say. You are still here, and don't have the threat of being snatched out of Ohio State and marched home to D.C. over your head." Tony pursed his lips and then frowned thoughtfully.
Dylan continued to think positively. "Tony, I don't think your dad would really do that. He just wants you to think he will, you know, like scare you straight or something."
"Don't be ridiculous, Dylan, you know the man. Of course he would."
"You're right- I was just trying to make you feel better." Dylan reconciled himself to the most probable outcome. He and Tony had gotten into their fair share of trouble together over the years, and they both knew how each one's father reacted.
Dylan smirked, "Actually, if those grades are bad then the best we can hope is that your dad doesn't take his fury out in your blood!"
They laughed, and Dylan's cell phone vibrated. He answered and turned to Tony, then got up to leave, taking his Coke with him. "Hey, Buddy, I hate to desert you in your time of need, but I've got to go pick up my mom. Call me later, okay?"
Tony threw up his hand as a good bye and stayed where he was at the table, the incriminating envelope in front of him. Probably he could hide it and his dad wouldn't find out it was here. He could even rip it up.
Tony brightened at that. No evidence meant no evidence, no proof that he had just spent this semester playing and partying. He wasn't the only son of an NCIS special agent for nothing! Getting rid of the evidence would be easy enough.
Common sense interrupted, though, and he propped his chin in his hands. No, his dad would find out no matter what he did. He knew that the grades were imminent from Ohio State, and had even reminded Tony at breakfast yesterday that he wanted to see them immediately.
Delaying the news would just make his parent angrier than he was going to be the second he actually looked at the grade sheet.
Tony had years of experience from living with Jethro Gibbs, and lying and deception were two things which infuriated his father. There was nothing to do but just come clean and face the consequences, even if he knew they wouldn't be pretty.