A/N: Conversations in italics are spoken in Italian
Tony spent three weeks at his father's home in Italy trying to be the dutiful son while waiting to be married. When he arrived not only did he find his father wasn't sick but he seemed to be under the impression that Tony wanted to have the crown. Tony was missing everything about back home as plans were made and Antonio could tell that he was unhappy about being there. Trying to snoop around Antonio couldn't figure out what was going on so he decided to ask about it one night at dinner.
"Tony, what's wrong? I can tell you are not happy."
"Does it matter Papa?" Antonio sighs and Tony takes a deep breath. "I don't appreciate being lied to so I would come and being forced to leave everything behind because of those lies. I never liked being lied to and this ..."
"Who lied to you? No one told you to leave everything behind. It was your choice."
"Being told that you were dying and I had to come wasn't a lie? You are healthy and even your doctor says so. They told me you wanted me to come here because you were dying and that I had to leave everything and everyone behind. I come here and you're fine, nothing's going on but you wanting to marry me off to some woman I don't even know. How is that not a lie?"
"No one said that?"
"Well I have a … friend back home who heard the whole conversation and knows what Sergio and Lorenzo told me. They said it was your heart and I had to return at once. I was told I had to leave everything behind only giving me enough time to say goodbye to my friends so they wouldn't worry that I disappeared. I was allowed to pack two bags and nothing else."
"Why would they do that?"
"You tell me, you're the one who sent them to get me. Why would you tell them to lie to me if you weren't sick."
"I sent them to check on you and ask if you wanted to return. I never told them to bring you here you didn't wish to return. I certainly didn't tell them to tell you I was sick. The young woman I wanted you to marry has no family other than a child, she recently turned 40 as the age the two of you were to marry if neither were married first."
"Well I had to leave everything including the woman I wanted to marry behind for this. She was the one I wanted to marry and I planned to bring to meet you and instead I was forced to leave her behind to marry someone with a child."
"Tony ..."
"You sent them Papa, I doubt they just decided to make up a story to get me to come. They said they were on your orders. I don't wish to marry this woman, I never have and I always made that clear. Now that I know she has a child I wish to marry her even less."
"She's coming here to marry you in less than a week. Why didn't you say something before?"
"Why did you send them to bring me here? You sent me away to America with Anthony because I didn't want the throne and then had me forced back here like nothing ever happened. I always stated I wouldn't marry someone I didn't love but you don't care as long as this woman is happy. Well I can't say I'll make a nice husband to someone I do not care for." Tony storms off thinking about some random woman and her child. He didn't know what was going on but he could hear Antonio screaming so he shut the door to his room and turned on some music. When he couldn't settle down he went for a walk and Antonio found him in the gardens.
"Tony ..."
"Yeah Papa,"
"Sergio admits to the lie. I had no idea what they told you. I thought you came willingly to try and fix things between us. I know I'm not the father you wanted but I hoped you would follow in my footsteps."
"I love someone back home but she … Abby is very different then the women here. She's smart, beautiful and she loves me. I was going to ask her to marry me after I spoke to her brothers."
"Why her brothers?"
"They are her only living relatives and I know they would want to protect her. I would like them to know I'm serious about her and then we planned to come here so she could see this place and I wanted to introduce her to you. She's the only one who knew everything before Sergio and Lorenzo showed up. We never kept secrets from each other."
"I'm sorry Tony, I did think you came on your own. I don't know why they lied to you but ..."
"There's nothing that can be done Papa. I left everything behind including my family in America to come here."
"Anthony isn't ..."
"He's not the only person I left behind. I worked with some co-workers for 15 years … that's longer than I was here with family. We were family there." Antonio sighs and Tony changes the subject. "I don't want to accept the crown or throne. I know it's expected but Crispin ..."
"Marry the young woman and give them a home and you can step down. I won't expect you to accept it but she is coming for you to marry."
"Okay," Antonio stands up.
"They are installing a phone in your room for you to call your friends and I sent Sergei out to get you a computer and phone as well. Since you are royalty and my son you should have these things regardless. I never said you couldn't stay in touch Sergio and Lorenzo are dismissed as they can't be trusted anymore."
"Thank you Papa." Once Tony got the laptop he went into his personal email where Abby had been sending him emails daily sometimes more than once a day about missing him. She wrote she didn't think he would ever see them but she needed to get it off her chest and Tony felt even worse about the situation. Tony decides to call her hoping not to make things worse and a lady answered the phone that Tony didn't recognize the voice.
"Forensics Lab,"
"Is Abby there?"
"I'm sorry but Abby's not in the lab today. This is her assistant Carol, can I help you with something?"
"No thanks." Tony was confused but he calls up Gibbs the only other number he has memorized.
"Yeah Gibbs,"
"Hey boss,"
"Tony, this is a surprise. How are you doing? Are you married yet? How's your father?"
"I'm fine, no the lady has been delayed so I haven't been married yet. My father's fine and healthy."
"I thought you said ..."
"Lorenzo and Sergio lied to me. They gave me no choice in the matter while Papa just wanted them to talk to me and ask me to consider it. He thought I came because I wanted to while they said I didn't have a choice."
"What's going to happen now?"
"They were fired, we can't trust someone who lies and this was a big one. After I marry this woman … I have no idea of her name I don't have to accept the throne."
"Well that's good right?"
"I guess."
"What's wrong?"
"She's got a kid so not only do I have to get married but she has a kid. You know how I feel about kids boss. This is just going to be one big disaster."
"Well … it's not the kids fault."
"I know that Gibbs. I also know I can't alienate the kid I hated when Anthony's wives did that to me. They weren't step moms but they didn't know I wasn't his son." Tony rubs his face with a sigh. "This whole thing is a big mess."
"Just take it one day at a time and maybe it won't be as bad as you think."
"Yeah it'll probably be worse." Gibbs laughs but knew Tony was good with kids no matter what he though.
"Just buy the kid some toys and you'll win them over."
"That I can do. Hey why does Abby have an assistant? I've been getting daily emails from her and I just now opened them but she said Abby wasn't there today and she's her assistant."
"It's her friend Carol Wilson and she got the flu from somewhere. She was sent home until she's cleared by the doctor so she doesn't contaminate anything."
"Oh … okay I didn't recognize her voice and I was worried. I guess I'll just email Abby back I wanted to hear her voice."
"You're supposed to get married Di … Tony."
"I know but I was worried about her."
"Keep to your vows and we'll keep an eye on her." Taking that as chastisement Tony stuck to emailing Abby who was happy to hear from him. She mentioned having a doctor's appointment in a few days since she couldn't kick the flu and Tony wished he was there to help her. After finding out the woman he was marrying had a daughter and on some advice Tony decided to do a room for her including dolls, teddy bears and anything that seemed to appeal to little girls ordering some stuff online.
"This is some room Tony."
"Thanks Papa, I figure the little girl should have a room full of toys and fun things to do. I was looking for a toy or something and couldn't help myself."
"I don't know about little girls but I think she'll love it." They were waiting for the woman and her escort to arrive and Tony took to pacing the main room. Abby had gone to the doctor and Tony wanted to check his email to find out what they said but he was trying to be patient. To his surprise Malachi Ben-Gideon arrived with a little girl.
"Tony, this is a surprise. You live here?"
"Yeah, this is my father Antonio Deangelo. What are you doing here?"
"I was to escort Ziva … she was to marry your … I guess you. Your father's son but ..."
"It's a long story but … Ziva is the woman I'm to marry?" Antonio looks between them.
"You two know each other?" Malachi nods,
"Ziva used to work with Tony in Washington DC and they were friends. I was actually heading there next."
"Well I'm glad that the two of them will at least be on friendly terms. Where is Ziva? I believe this must be her daughter then …" Malachi nods but Tony can tell something is wrong.
"What is it? Where's Ziva?"
"She was sadly killed … there was a fire bombing at Eli's home. We're not sure the cause of it but she was killed." Tony had to sit down in shock by the news. Antonio puts a hand on his shoulder.
"I am sorry to hear that. What will become of her child? From what I understand she had no other family."
"No, I was traveling to Washington DC to take Tali to her father. Ziva always asked me to take Tali to him and explain the circumstances to him if something happened to her." Tony blinks before speaking.
"Her father lives in DC?"
"So we thought." Tony and Antonio look at him. "You are Tali's father Tony. She told me that you were the only one she was with and she thought Tali looks like you." Tony looks at Tali who clutched Malachi's hand while looking around. Tony didn't know what would happen with her but he had too many questions he didn't know where to begin.
A/N: This is to be cannon because it's a Tabby story.