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"Secrets & Family"

Chapter 3.

The Southwest Airlines flight was rolling on the taxiway with Gibbs sitting next to Ziva, while Tony and Tim were sitting five seats behind them.

"How are you, Timster?" asked Tony, turning the pages of a car magazine.

"What?" asked McGee, very surprised.

"You seem worried," answered Tony, looking at car photos.

"Oh, I was thinking,'' Tim uncomfortably answered as he turned on his seat. ''Tony, I think I've got to tell...I'm sorry."

"For what?" asked Tony, raising his eyebrows and looking at Tim.

"For this morning, when I teased you about Alice."

"Oh, forget it. I knew you were joking. Don't worry, it was nothing, Probie," then he looked at his younger colleague and added, "Sorry, I meant 'McGee'."

"No, it's okay," smiled Tim.

"You're not a probie, anymore... not after Somalia," said Tony, very seriously.

"Thanks, but I'll always be 'Probie'. Gibbs is Franks' probie and I'm your probie, but don't take undue advantage, okay?" grinned Tim.

"Deal," smiled Tony. Their relationship had grown a lot in the last months, especially after Gibbs' decision to leave Ziva behind in Israel.

"Why don't you get some sleep? I think you didn't sleep a lot last night," winked Tim.

"I was working," said Tony, but McGee was grinning. "And I did other things too," a smile growing on Tony's face as well.

While Tony was sleeping, Ziva exchanged her seat with Tim's.

"Hi," she said, when Tony opened his eyes.

"Hi," he answered, in a not so friendly tone. "Are we landing?"

"Ten minutes," she said looking at him. After few seconds of uncomfortable silence, Ziva said, "About this morning..."

"Ziva, I'm not in the mood."

"I want to say I'm sorry. I made a mistake."

"Oh, yeah. What made you do that?"

"It doesn't matter," she said, turning her gaze from him.

"It matters for me. I don't think I deserved it."

"No, you didn't. It's just me."

"Ziva, look at me,'' Tony soflty said as he cocked his head. ''What's going on?". Tony looked at Ziva's eyes and he saw deep emotion. "You can tell me anything."

"After you'd saved me... I mean, when we were in Somalia, you said you couldn't live without me and I thought... I hoped you felt..."

"Wait! You thought I loved you. Right?" asked Tony and she nodded. "Oh." he whispered.

"I know that it's wrong, but..."

"No, it's not wrong. We've always had a weird relationship and I don't deny that I've felt attraction for you, but..."

"But you don't love me," sighed Ziva.

"Maybe in the past I thought about... uhm... ya know...'' Tony winked and she nodded understanding what he meant. ''But now I see you just as friends and partners. If you'd told me these things a few years ago, I'd have seized the opportunity because I didn't know you so well then. Some years ago Kate asked me why I'd never tried hooking up her and I told her because I knew her and this is the same situation, Ziva. I know and respect you too much to play with your feelings. I'm not the 'bad boy' that you knew when you arrived at NCIS anymore... actually I've never been," he smiled. "I'm changing and I want something more than a simple affair or some hot nights now," whispered Tony.

"What do you want?"

"I want passion and excitement, but I want serenity, companionship and warmth too. I want the lifelong love, I suppose," Tony smiled sweetly, thinking about Alice. It still seemed impossible to him that they'd gotten together again. Now he could have the life that he'd always dreamed of.

The loud-speaker announced, "We are on final approach to Providence Airport. Fasten your seat belts and return your seat backs to the fully upright position."

"I'll go back to my seat," said Ziva, rising.

"Ziva, I'm sorry if I've made you think that..."

"Don't worry, I will get through it,'' she smiled softly and headed to her sear, but she stopped and with a scared look she added,''Tony, I need yout support and I don't want to lose your friendship. I..." she swallowed hard.

"Never, trust me," Tony assured her.

Finally they landed. There was a Navy helo waiting for them. It flew the team to New London Naval Submarine Base, where they met Lt. Charlie Nights, the PR of the base.

"I've talked to your director. He told me everything and I've assured him of our collaboration, Agent Gibbs," he said.

"We need to see the corpse and talk to your ME, Lieutenant."

"That's could be a problem."

"Why?" Gibbs snapped irritably. Tony, Ziva and McGee grinned.

"Well, the morgue is closed and it will open at 0700 tomorrow morning and our ME, Lt. Foster, is not here. He's in Seattle for a forensics meeting. He left yesterday evening," the officer said and Gibbs rolled his eyes. "But we've prepared a comfortable accommodation for you and your team," smiled Nights uneasily. The boss gave his famous 'Gibbs stare'.

"They call this 'comfortable accommodations'?" exclaimed Tony as the entered the base housing.

"They are sailors, Tony. They're used to uncomfortable and not nice housing," Ziva pointed out.

"You've been in the Israeli Army, Ziva. How would you define this place?" asked Tony.

Ziva looked around and said "Okay, I agree. It's horrible!" She seemed a little more relaxed than when they were on the plane.

"Thanks," said Tony.

"It looks almost like your place Tim," said Ziva.

"Hey! Have you been taking 'humor lessons' from DiNozzo?" Tim protested.

"Funny! No, his place is a 'villa' in comparison and..." started Tony.

"Have you finished?" protested McGee.

"Right! Have you finished?" asked Gibbs coming from his 'room', "Settle in your rooms! I'll call Abby and Ducky."

"I'm hungry, Gibbs," complained Ziva.

"Me too," Tim concurred.

Tony saw Gibbs' look and said "I'll call for pizza."

Then 'the battle for the room' broke out! Strangely Tony didn't take part in it. He felt a little guilty about Ziva so, as the senior field agent, he gave her the largest and most comfortable room remaining. Tony would have to sleep with Tim in a double-bed! It would be a very "interesting" night!

In the meanwhile at Georgetown University Hospital, lots of things were happening. Miles Young was slowly recovering and he wanted to talk to NCIS offering his cooperation. But someone else was also interested in him.

"Are you Dr. Torman?" asked a man gruffly.

"Sorry, who are you?"

"Special Agent Fornell, FBI," answered the man, showing his badge.

"And you?" she asked the other man.

"Agent Sacks," he said, with gravitas.

After about half an hour, Alice was drinking a tea near the vending machine, when a good looking man arrived. He was wearing a designer suit and looked vaguely familiar.

"Good evening, I'm Jeff Paddington," he introduced himself. "You're Dr. Torman, right?" he said very politely.

"Yes, I am, Mr. Paddington. Can I help you?"

"I'm a lawyer."

"Oh," she whispered to herself. Often 'lawyer' meant 'trouble'.

He saw her look and said, "No! No, don't worry. I'm not here for anything bad," and smiled. Alice started breathing again. "Can we talk in private?" he asked.

"Sure. We can go in my office. Follow me, please."

When they were in the office and sitting down, he said, "I'm looking for Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo of NCIS."

A frown crossed Alice's face and she asked, "And why are you looking for him here?" very surprised.

"I've tried his cell, but he didn't answer me."

"He's changed his number."

"Then I called NCIS, they said that he was out of DC. When I told them that this was an emergency, they gave me your number. Your number is the first one on his 'emergency numbers list'."

"Really? I thought he had removed it,'' she smiled. ''So you've told NCIS that this's an emergency, but is it true?"

"It could be. I've got to talk to Tony about his mother's estate."

"Tony was cut off his family's inheritance," said Alice, more than a little vexed.

"That's not completely true. I'm Tony's cousin from his mother side..."

"I'm Alice," she smiled. So that's why his face looked familiar.

"I've heard about you. I thought you'd broken up."

"Long story,'' she nodded as she smiled, ''We're together again. So you're his cousin? You do look a little like him," Alice observed.

"They've always said it,'' Jeff smiled. ''Alice, my family thinks that there's something irregular with the settlement of my aunt's estate."

"Irregular?'' Alice grinned. ''Okay, I'll tell him to call you."

"Tonight I'll be at a Senator house for a party and tomorrow I'll have meetings all day long. Would you tell Tony to call me when he has a moment?" he requested.

"All right, Jeff. I'll give him the message."

"DiNozzo," Tony said when he answered his phone.

"Honey ."

"Alice? What...?"

"Wait! I'm in a hurry, so don't talk, just listen! First of all, I lied to the FBI."

"What?"

"Shut up! They've sent an Agent Fornell and an old 'friend' of yours Agent Sacks. They wanted to interrogate Young, but I told them that he's still sick...oh, by the way, he's getting better and wants to talk to NCIS. Then..." she took a quick breath. "I've met your cousin Jeff."

"Je..."

"He's got to talk to you as soon as possible about your inheritance from your mother, but don't call him tonight because he's busy. Did you understand everything?"

"Yes, but..."

"I know it's completely Crazy, but it's true. Now I've gotta go. Love you."

"I love you too." Tony said and closed his cell. He was completely astonished and bewildered.

TBC

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