Shockingly, the rest of the work day went smoothly. Tony had spent another 10 minutes in the conference room, before heading back to his desk and launching into work on their current case. He had only momentarily considered quitting. He was beyond embarrassed, but decided that if Gibbs wanted him he and he wanted to be here than he would just have to suck it up and deal with his embarrassment. He knew that also meant he was going to have to deal with his father.
Ziva and McGee had attempted to question Gibbs about Tony's whereabouts when he had returned , but Gibbs had order them back to work, informing them it was none of their business and if they wanted to keep their jobs they'd better focus on their business, the current case. He knew they only asked because they cared, but it still wasn't there business.
They'd almost asked Tony about it when he came back to his desk, but Gibbs had quickly shut them down with a glare. DiNozzo needed room to breathe.
Tony didn't exactly appreciate the gesture, because he didn't think need protecting.
Six O-clock rolled around rather quickly. Gibbs stood ordered the team to go home as most of the people they were trying to contact had gone home for the day anyway.
McGee and Ziva stood immediately and each individually noticed Tony's lack of movement. Both stopped by his desk on the way out and quietly spoke privately to Tony. He waved them off with a smile and joke. Gibbs hid his slight grin. Tony wouldn't be Tony if he didn't cover every negative experience with a joke. His teammates didn't buy the act, but they dropped the matter anyway. Tony would talk when Tony was ready. Until then it would only upset him to push the topic.
Soon, Tony and Gibbs were the only ones left in the bull pen. Gibbs knew what Tony was doing. He didn't want to go home. He knew his father would show up. The man probably already had some lackey sitting outside of Tony's apartment waiting to report that Tony had come home.
Tony was also aware that he was likely to see his father later. However, Gibbs was wrong about that being the reason he was staying at work. Truthfully he was trying to work out how to apologize to his Boss. He knew he shouldn't say he was sorry, and break one of Gibbs rules. On the other hand he felt the need to express regret for his actions. He still hadn't decided on a plan of action when his boss approached him.
As soon as Gibbs spoke the entire apology fled out of his head.
"My place or yours?" Gibbs asked.
Again DiNozzo was annoyed. "I'm going to my place and I don't need to be babysat."
"Didn't say you did." His boss replied calmly.
"So you just want to come to my house for the great company, then." Tony replied with a smile.
"I'm not going to interfere, DiNozzo. It's just safer if I'm there."
"You don't need to be there. I can handle him, Boss."
"I'm not going to stop you from hurting him Tony""
Tony's eyes showed his shock at that statement. How did Gibbs always know what he was thinking? Was he really that readable?
"Let's have this conversation somewhere else." Gibbs explained, indicating the cameras with a slight tilt of his head.
Tony grabbed his stuff and they headed for the elevator. Gibbs hit the switch as soon as they started moving. They needed to talk. Gibbs needed to make sure his boy was ready to face his evil father.
"I know you're not going to give in to him DiNozzo. You have more balls than a Ferrari." Gibbs started staring at the elevator wall.
Tony chucked in response. His boss certainly had a way with words. Obviously, he was trying to convey confidence, but Tony partly missed the message, already in defensive mode. "He can't manipulate me boss. He's never been able to."
"You can't let him make you angry. You need to get the upper hand" Gibbs instructed, preparing Tony.
"I will, I promise boss." Tony's reply was automatic. Show no weakess. He repeated his childhood mantra in his head. He couldn't let Gibbs take this fight from him. He had to stand up to his Dad.
"You heard of the twisted sister?" Gibbs asked, puzzling Tony. Was Gibbs inving him to go get a drink?
"That's one hard drink but I'm not really in the mood to go out tonight boss."
"Not the drink. Twisted sister;--when you pinch the nerve right here at the top of the neck." Gibbs said with a smile taping his neck.
Tony smirked now following his line of logic. "Hurts like hell but doesn't leave a mark." He replied, realizing what Gibbs was going for.
"Yeah, you ever tried it?"
"Once, but I never practiced it." Tony replied honestly. Gibbs really understood the art of close combat fighting. It wouldn't hurt to get a little refresher before taking on his Dad.
Gibbs reached over and picked up Tony's hand placing it on his neck. Tony jerked his hand back, dropping his back pack. "Gibbs I'm not pinching you. That's a little too kinky." He replied using his most common defense mechanism, humor.
"You need to practice. It makes it smoother when you grab for someone."
Tony hesitated. Not wanting to hurt Gibbs. He'd fought the man enough today. Gibbs however, wasn't in the mood for Tony's faltering.
" Now DiNozzo!" he shouted.
He didn't want to but he knew Gibbs was right. He had to be prepared. He grabbed for Gibbs, but Gibbs duck shoving him against the elevator wall. He immediately let his senior field agent go. Clearly this was training.
"Don't grab from above, it's too easy to knock your hand out of the way. "
Tony tried again, punching lower and moving out of Gibbs way when he shot forward. Pulling up on his boss's arm he used a move very similar to the one his boss had used to take him to the floor earlier. Instead of shoving him to the floor his other hand move automatically to the place on Gibbs neck his boss had indicated. He pinched lightly and was shocked to hear his boss yelp. He immediately let go and backed up one step.
Gibbs hand went to his own neck, rubbing the spot Tony had just pinch. He glanced up at Tony "Good boy." Tony couldn't believe how many compliments he had gotten in one day.
Giibbs turned and flipped the switch on the elevator. He was still rubbing his pinched neck when the elevator hit the ground floor.
As they walked to their cars, which were parked relatively close to each other, Tony contemplating telling Gibbs he didn't want him to come to his place. He wasn't sure how to bring the subject up again. His boss was obviously trying to be helpful. Luckily, he didn't have to bring it up. Gibbs could tell what he was thinking.
"I'm just coming to watch Tony. I know you can take care of this."
"Thanks, boss" Tony replied, surprised when Gibbs continued.
"Although, I admit I wouldn't mind getting my hands on him either."
Tony folded over laughing at the statement. It stuck him as funny, and he wasn't sure why. He'd known that when Gibbs met his dad, they wouldn't get along, but he hadn't expected Gibbs could conspire to inflict pain on the man.
They took separate cars to Tony's, and Gibbs stopped on the way to grab a pizza. They hadn't want to show up at the same time, thinking that Daddy DiNozzo's lackey might tell him to hold off if he knew Gibbs was going to be present.
Gibbs snuck up the back entrance, avoiding the conspicuously parked car in the front. He also intentionally walked past the camera in the back parking lot. When he got up stairs, the two agents snacked on the pizza silently while waiting for the inevitable. It didn't take long for there to be a knock at the door. Tony answered it alone. "Hi Dad" he greeted cheerfully. His acting was one of the main reasons Gibbs had hire him.
"Quit F#$ around Anthony and let us in."
"Sorry Dad, I'm not really in the mood to talk to your lawyers or bouncers. You're welcome to come if you like."
"I'm not stepping foot in that apartment without them and you know that." replied the tall man.
"Okay, well bye then. See you later. " Tony said with confidence. As closed the door, he fake coughed calling his father "chicken".
He known the reaction he was going to get. He father pushed through the door. "I'm not afraid of you, you little s$#." The lawyers outside attempted to follow.
"Ah!" Tony warned the hired men. "Outside, or I call the police and tell them you decided to trespass on the property of a federal agent. "
The lawyers glanced at their boss, unsure of what to do.
Tony's father waved them off. "I'll be fine. Wait outside. I'll be done in the minute. "
Tony closed the door double bolting it behind his Dad. He turned and headed towards the kitchen, his father following.
"So Dad, you want a beer? I'm afraid I don't have your favorite. Not that I was that good at mixing your drinks in the first place."
"You know what I want. You get NCIS to quit looking into my affairs and I leave you alone." His dad indicated the paper in his hand. DiNozzo Sr. hadn't noticed Gibbs standing quietly in the back corner of the kitchen.
Tony took a swig of his beer. "Dad, we already talked about this. I'm not touching this. My job is important to me."
"You care more about your stupid job than you own father?" his Dad played.
"Yeah, I do. I wonder who I learned that from." Tony responded sarcastically.
His father was one to talk. He's dad had always cared more about the job than Tony. His dad had even chewing him out for vomiting at school when he was eight. The school hadn't been able to get a hold of his mother, so his father had to leave a business meeting to come get him. For the next week his father reprimanded him for interrupting his important business for a silly little flu.
"Don't blame your disrespectful attitude on me. You got that from your damn mother." His father goaded.
"Mom has NOTHING to do with this." Tony responded heatedly.
"Momma's boy." His father said harassing him. "You never did have the balls to do what you wanted. Always did what your mamma wanted."
"You're the one who married her." Tony spit back.
"You're the one who killed her." his father provoked.
"I didn't f$# kill her! She killed herself." Tony shouted back. Gibbs flicked him a look telling him to calm down. Tony decided maybe it was a good thing his boss had come.
His Dad was grinning, knowing hed pissed his son off. He never understood why his anger seemed to make his Dad so happy, but when ever Tony lost his temper his dad smiled. He probably thought he had the upper hand. Tony took a deep calming breath.
"She killed herself." Tony repeated calming. If there was one thing he had learned from Gibbs it was that everyone was responsible for their own actions, including his deceased mother.
"She killed herself because she had nothing to live for. He son was too much of a disappointment. It's a wonder I haven't killed myself." His father replied attempting to use guilt to manipulate his son.
"Go for it dad. I'm certainly not stopping you." Tony wondered when his father would realize he didn't fall for that crap anymore.
"Nope, you never couldn't stop me from doing anything I want. Enough with this crap. I'm a busy man."
"You always were, Dad."
"Here's what is going to happen. You're going stop NCIS from looking into my affairs. And you're going to sign this paper indicating that if NCIS ever does investigate me again it is all an act of revenge because I disowned you. " he said roughly pushing the paper into Tony's hands, stepping into his personal space.
"Nope" Tom responded holding the paper back out to his father. He suddenly felt a wave of pride wash over him. He was standing up against his dad. Pushing back never felt so good.
"Useless piece of s$#. You were never good for anything. You're going to do it in the end anyway."
"I am?" Tony questioned with a smirk.
"Well, when your friends start having "financial troubles" and "little accidents" you'll change your mind." His father threatened. The sentence sent a flare through Tony. If he had learned anything from Gibbs it was that you protected the team.
"You touch them, and you won't need to commit suicide. I'll take care of that for you." Tony replied threateningly.
The statement didn't faze Tony's father. The man was a brick. How could he assume Tony was the same weak kid he'd pushed around years ago. Tony wasn't going to take it anymore.
"Your choice, you sign this or I promise you'll regret it."
Tony smile faded as he reached for the pen in his father's hand and the now wrinkled document. His father grinned assuming he had won. Tony place the paper on the table leaning over it, pen in hand. The action caused his father to lean over the table in attempt to watch his son signing the document. Unfortunately, for him, the movement had been a ploy. As soon as his dad was in an unstable position, Tony slipped around grabbing his father's arm and twisting the older man's arm behind him. He immediately grabbed for his father's neck. This time he didn't hold back when his pinched.
His dad let out a yelp that would have scared any Marine. The position DiNozzo Sr. was currently in finally allowed him to realize Gibbs had been standing in the corner.
"Let me go, you little chicken s#$#!" His dad said struggle to escape his grasp.
"Chicken?" Tony asked, pinching again.
"Ahhh! Yeah, you needed your boss to protect your skinny a$$!" His dad shouted.
"He's here to protect you, Dad." Tony responded with a grin. He couldn't believe the position he held his dad in. It was a dream come true to be in control of the situation with his malicious father.
"I don't need his protection, you're going to jail for attacking me." His father angrily responded.
"That's weird. I don't remember attacking you. Boss, do you remember seeing me attacking him?" He asked cheerfully.
"Nope, just the two of you having a conversation." Gibbs responded conversationally.
"Doesn't mean anything if you two lie. I'm wired. I've got someone recording this whole conversation. "
His dad was certainly sneaky. Problem was Tony knew that and had pick up a few tricks over the years for dealing with his dad's kind.
"Well than it's a good thing I forgot to return those broadcast blockers from the last time I was undercover. Sorry, dad. You don't have anything." He said pinching one more time. Boy does revenge feel good. He thought to himself.
"Ahh! F#$# let me go!"
"Don't worry Dad. I've got this whole thing on tape. A little untraceable editing from Abby and the conversation will sound like you were threatening me and I was an innocent party."
"I always knew you'd ruin my life. From the day you were born you've been nothing but trouble." His father sputtered.
Gibbs stepped forward, ready to interrupt the man. Instead Tony interrupted him.
"I got it boss." He said, asking Gibbs to back off.
Respectfully, Gibbs stepped back without a word.
Tony pinched once more as his father cried out at the pressure.
"You're going to leave." He said pinching again.
"You're never going to bug me again." He pinched as hard as he could, causing his father severe pain. "And you will NEVER go near my friends. Or this tape will be release to the authorities."
"F#$ you." His father responded weekly, clearly in pain.
"Oh, and I also have some very interesting stories to tell about various business partners I remember from when I was a kid. By the way, I don't think those men wouldn't really like the stories I have to tell." With the end of the sentence, Tony let his father go.
The man turned immediately and grabbed his sore neck.
"You win for now. Don't worry; I'll get the upper hand again." He turned and stormed for the door of the apartment.