Gibbs took the stairs up to the entrance and was greeted instantly by the guard.
"Hey Gibbs," The large, bald guard waved Gibbs through the metal detector. Gibbs always greeted the guy in the mornings and he knew Tony did too.
"Hey Mike, you didn't happen to see where Tony went did you?"
"Sure did," He pointed out the doors. "Saw him walking towards the coffee cart, looked totally out of it, if you ask me, didn't even say hi."
"He's just got a lot on his mind, Mike," Gibbs replied before following Tony's path to the coffee cart. Gibbs spotted Tony easily. The lone figure was slumped on a nearby bench, staring ahead vacantly. Gibbs walked over to him and sat down.
"You get me a coffee?" Gibbs asked, noticing the steaming cup in Tony's hands. Tony snapped out of his reverie and looked down at the cup of coffee before looking up at Gibbs. He silently handed over the cup. Gibbs opened the lid and took a sip, noticing the lack of sugar and syrup Tony normally drowned his coffee in.
"Fornell told me what's going on," Tony nodded but didn't say anything. "You believe your father is capable of this?"
Tony shook his head "No," he spoke quietly. "He-" Tony began "He loves his money, he loves being successful. He has a reputation in the business world. He wouldn't do anything to jeopardize it."
"You haven't exactly painted him in a good light," Gibbs spoke. He sipped the coffee quietly. "He has bank accounts in untraceable accounts, his drinking habits, his reaction to you becoming a LEO."
"He also has more ex-wives than you," Tony added. He rubbed his hands together, now that the coffee cup wasn't keeping his hands warm the cold air had begun to numb his fingers. Now Tony thought about it his father and Gibbs were more alike than he first thought. The secrets they both kept, the addictions they both had, his father alcohol, Gibbs and his coffee, and their need to push Tony to do better. "You didn't love your other wives like your first wife did you?" Tony asked.
"Why'd you say that?"
"Men like you and my father only love one woman. He loved my mother," Gibbs stayed silent. Tony never talked about his family and didn't want Tony to stop now. "She died when I was seven, he only started to drink heavily after the accident. Then he got married. It didn't last long before he was married again. He'd lavish them with expensive gifts and then drive them away. You and him? Trying to recapture the love you lost."
"Did he ever hit you?" Gibbs had to ask.
"Once," Tony answered quietly "He came home one evening and began drinking straight away, a clear sign that he'd had a bad day. Then at dinner I wouldn't eat my peas," Tony laughed though it was obvious he didn't find it funny "He pulled me off my chair and slapped me across the face," Gibbs clenched his fist in anger "The next day I was sent to military school. First I was angry at him, I thought he hated me so much that he couldn't even stand to look at me but then a couple of years later I realised it wasn't that he hated me, it was that he loved me. He was so horrified at what he'd done he'd sent me away to protect me in case he ever tried it again"
"Doesn't mean he's forgiven Tony, he hit a child."
"He was a drunk Gibbs."
"Drinking is not an excuse, especially when there's a kid involved. I bet he ignored you most of the time didn't he?"
Tony stood up "It was better than being told you were worthless one more time!" He shouted. "He ignored me, and I let him," Tony slumped back onto the bench
"I'm sorry you had to live like that Tony."
"He gave me a roof over my head, food-"
"He cut off your money when you were twelve."
"What kind of a person do you think I'd be if he handed me wads of money everyday of my childhood, a spoilt rich kid who'd much rather pay someone to do the work for me rather than lift a finger. My father hasn't worked a hard day in his life. The company was given to him like it was supposed to be given to me. He's never run from bullets, been kidnapped or trapped in shipping containers for his country. He's never saved a life Gibbs, I'm glad he cut me off."
"It's no excuse for the way he's treated you." Gibbs spoke causing Tony's head to snap up.
"Who said I'd excused him?" Tony snapped.
Gibbs backed off "You're right."
"Did you just say 'you're right?'" Tony couldn't believe what he'd just heard.
"If all that stuff hadn't happened to you, you wouldn't be the investigator you are today and you definitely wouldn't have gotten a job working for me."
"Well thanks boss, that means a lot."
"I don't like this one bit, my gut's telling me Fornell hasn't told us everything. If you do this," Gibbs said "The team will back you up all the way, anything you need."
"Why?"
Gibbs frowned "Why what?"
"Why are you helping me?"
"Because you're part of the team DiNozzo, and if you think you're going to get killed on some assignment for the FBI you've got another thing coming," Tony smiled for the first time since his and Fornell's chat in the elevator. "Come on," Gibbs stood up and threw the empty coffee cup into the nearby trash can "Let's work out the details on the way back to the office."
"Details?" Tony asked as he stood up
"Sure, if you're father is involved," Tony frowned "If" Gibbs emphasised "Your father is involved, they could be watching you, it would also look suspicious if you turned up his doorstep now, you need a good excuse for why you've quit law enforcement."
"And what will this good excuse be?"
Gibbs shrugged "You've had a falling out with your boss."
Tony froze "You want us to fight!"
Gibbs smiled at Tony's horrified look, "I was thinking an argument in the middle of the squad room that ends up with you quitting."
Tony shook his head in disbelief, "And if my father checks into why I quit people will tell him about our argument." He realised.
"Exactly," Gibbs spoke with a sly smile. "Just think of it as a cathartic exercise, get to say all the things you've always wanted to say to me but never have because I would kick your ass," He opened the door to NCIS headquarters and let Tony go through first. "Tomorrow morning, be late."
Tony laughed "Not a problem."
"Just remember DiNozzo, I won't mean what I say."
Tony smiled softly "Yes you will, but I won't hold it against you." He passed through the metal detectors with a smile to Mike. "Don't hold back Gibbs and I won't hold back either." Tony called back to Gibbs before disappearing into the elevator.