FATHERS

SUMMARY: A case brings up some old feeling in Tony. Unable to keep the emotions in check Tony loses control causing Gibbs to resort to some old school fatherly discipline.

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own anything regarding NCIS or CBS...though if you'd like to see my Christmas wish list….

A/N: I hope you like the fic!

PROLOGUE:

Tony was only a few days old when the nanny took him from his mother's arms. The same nanny that would stay with the family until the day Tony left for college.

He was five the first time his father hit him. He hadn't meant to spill his father's coffee all over the newspaper.

He was ten when he entered the world of private school and tutors. It was also when he started calling the nanny simply Nanny or Nan; he called the cook, Cook…though never in the presence of his father. Six months before his 11th birthday his mom complained of headache and went to take a nap…she never woke up.

He was fifteen when his father gave him a black eye for 'being disrespectful.' He was the first freshmen to make the junior varsity football team. Nanny and Cook took him out to celebrate and brought him his letterman jacket.

He was eighteen…it was his last football game of the season. It was also parent's night; his dad never showed but Cook and Nanny did. That night, when he got home, his father gave him a black eye, a busted lip, and a cracked rib.

He was eighteen when he graduated high school intent on going Ohio State University on a full athletic scholarship. It was also when he declared his major…the same night his father beat him for the last time…the same night his father disowned him. He left for school a month later…Nanny and Cook quite their jobs, because they said, they only stayed on because of him, and took him down to OSU.

Anthony DiNozzo was twenty three when Cook died of a heart attack. Tony had been beside himself with grief but for the sake of Nanny he moved on….

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Tony sat upright, a cold sweat beading his forehead. His eyes searched the room for signs of a threat. Finding none, he felt himself start to relax. After he started to wake up a bit more he could feel eyes on him; looking outside the room he found Abby and Gibbs starting at him. He jumped off the futon.

"Sorry boss," he said quickly as he smoothed his suit out.

Gibbs said nothing as he looked his senior agent up and down, trying access whether or not the younger man was really ok. Abby walked up to Tony and hugged him, whispering quietly, "Are you ok Tony?"

Tony hugged her back and gave her a squeeze in response. When Abby released him Tony turned back to futon and began to clean up the blankets Abby had lent him. Looking at his watch he couldn't help but wince; he'd been asleep for an hour…45 minutes past Gibb's fifteen minute break.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs barked, "do you have the information I want?"

Tony stood up straight and looked his boss in the eyes. "I'll go get it boss." As Tony was…walking fast…out the lab doors Gibbs called to him causing him to pause. "Sir?"

"Get yourself some lunch first Tony." Gibbs ordered gently; almost parentally.

Tony sped walked to the elevator, wanting to get out of sight from the questioning eyes of the two in the lab. In the elevator he thought about the case. A nineteen year old petty officer (Billy Jones) had been found dead in his apartment by his roommate. The kid seemed to have no enemies and no reason to be dead. Something wasn't right about the case but Tony didn't know what.

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Tony sat at his desk and rubbed his eyes before starting to gather the information Gibbs had requested. It had been a long day, fueled by a hard case. 'I should have known better then to get out of bed this morning,' he thought wryly to himself. Hearing his name being called Tony had to take a deep breath; he was normally the calm one, the happy go lucky on his team but today he was neither of those things.

"I heard you the first time probie!" Tony exclaimed. "What?"

"You – you have phone call on line two." McGee stammered.

"Thanks Tim," Tony said by way of apology. "DiNozzo," He answered the phone.

Tony's call took five minutes…when it was over all around could tell something wasn't right with the senior agent. What ever had transpired during that phone call, Tony wasn't saying. Instead he skimmed the files as he walked to the elevator.

When he got to the lab he heard Abby exclaim, "I don't know everything Gibbs. We're gonna need a translator." When he walked into the lab Abby smiled at him, "And here he is."

"What?" Tony asked.

"Gibbs found a letter but it's not in English…I'm thinking Latin." Abby informed him.

Tony held out a hand to accept the letter, not aware of the dubious look Gibbs was giving him. Reading the letter Tony paled. 'It all makes sense now.' He thought to himself.

"What is it?" Gibbs asked gruffly.

Tony said nothing; instead he turned around and went down to autopsy…Gibbs and Abby on his heels. Gibbs watched in silent interest as Tony went to the body and preformed a GSR (gun shot residue) test. It came back positive. Tony had to take a deep breath to steady his nerves.

"How did you know?" Abby asked in awe.

"His file says that his superior officer just found out that he was really sixteen; not nineteen. They were debating what to do with him. The note…" Tony took another deep breath and turned to look at his boss. "The note is in Latin; it says, 'I'm sorry I was a disappointment. Now, I can't disappoint you any more.' It's a suicide note Gibbs."

Gibbs nodded his head before pulling out his cell phone. "Kate, you and McGee go grab the dad." He turned to his senior agent. "Are you ok?" Gibbs voice held actual concern.

"Fine boss," Tony replied quickly fixing those in the room with a trade mark DiNozzo grin.

Abby signed to Gibbs, something's not right with Tony.

Gibbs signed back, I know.

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Twenty minutes later Kate and McGee were back with Commander Jones, the Petty Officer's father. They took him to the conference room and waited. When Gibbs walked in, Tony walking one pace back and to the left of him, the two stood and went to stand by the door. Tony stood in between them and three pace in front.

Gibbs looked at his team from the corner of his eyes and gave himself a grin of satisfaction…they acted like the professionals he knew them to be. Gibbs sat down on the chair farthest from the Commander. He looked at his senior agent and beckoned with a nod of a head for him to tell the man what he was doing there.

"Commander Jones, I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this but your son, Billy, was found yesterday afternoon by his roommate. He committed suicide sir."

The team watched as the commander's face became red. Tony was shocked when, on closer inspection, he realized the man already knew. To make matters worse the red wasn't that of trying to keep tears at bay but because the man was embarrassed…and worst yet, he was ashamed. Tony sat, too stunned to say anything. It was his boss who spoke first.

"When did you find him?" Gibbs asked, deliberately keeping any emotions from his voice.

The Commander's eyes blazed as he answered, "The same day the idiot killed himself."

There was a stunned silence in the room; not even Gibbs had been totally prepared for the man's words. Tony closed his eyes and in that instant he could see it all…the man berating his son, telling him he was no good, would never be good, that he was worthless, hitting the boy, blacking an eye and breaking a rib. Tony could feel his pulse quicken. Before any of his teammates could react Tony attacked the man…