AN- Thanks for all the reviews, it was a quirky idea but I'm happy people are liking it, I have to go away so look for the next update on Friday.
Gibbs was grateful that Mallard picked up on the second ring. Briefly he outlined what little information Michaels had been able to give him. Then he asked a question of his own.
"Duck, has Tony ever broken that arm before?"
"Jethro, you know I can't discuss something from Anthony's medical records without his consent." Mallard sighed.
"I'll take that as a yes." Gibbs said dryly.
A second quick call to Chris Pacchi reassured him that the NCIS Agent had the investigation into the rental company neatly wrapped up. The other car had been located before the fitness instructor was injured and the owner and mechanic were begging to cut a deal.
"How's DiNozzo doing?" Pacchi asked.
Gibbs turned slightly, so he could look at his senior field agent through the glass of the door. They had kept the nature of his condition need to know. DiNozzo was already on medical leave and with any luck he'd be back to normal before it ever became an issue.
"Minor head injury, he's gonna be fine." Gibbs refused to consider any other outcome.
"Well, you give him my best."
Gibbs snapped the phone shut without replying, as his eyes caught the flash of sunlight off a blade, as DiNozzo twirled it dangerously around and around in his fingers. He was back in the room and at the side of the bed, before he realised it.
"Hey! Give me that!" He snatched it out of the air.
"Its mine," Tony protested. "It was in my shirt pocket."
"Yeah, well, how about I keep it safe, for you?" Gibbs tone brooked no arguments as he tucked the knife in his pants. "You can have it back .. in about twenty years."
"I wasn't going to stab anyone," Tony sulked. "I was just touching it."
"Touch it again and I'll break your fingers."
The words were uttered casually. He was so accustomed to chastising DiNozzo in that manner, that he didn't even think about what he had said. The threats never carried real heat and he would never dream of acting upon them. He wasn't prepared for the way Tony paled and bit his lip as he pushed himself back against the headboard, trying to get as far as he could get from the Federal Agent, whist remaining in the Hospital bed, his eyes wide with fear. Gibbs suddenly felt like a complete bastard.
"Aw, heck," Gibbs took off his cap and ran a hand through his hair. "Tony, I didn't mean that."
Tony continued to regard him with fear and suspicion and Gibbs could hardly blame him. He had certainly sounded like he meant it. He couldn't expect anyone working with a ten year old's perception to tell the difference between a real threat and the coded way he and DiNozzo expressed their affection for each other.
Or maybe he could.
"Look, in my line of work I'm used to having someone who watches out for me. A partner. You trust them with your life, you know what they are thinking, they're like family to you, so sometimes you might yank their chain a little but, only because you both know it doesn't mean squat. Right now, you're that person for me."
"I'm your partner?" Tony asked disbelievingly.
"Uh huh. You know how Magnum has his buddies?" After almost two years of working with DiNozzo, Gibbs had picked up a working knowledge of the Detective series in spite of himself. "It's sort of like that."
"Oh," Tony's face lit up as he ran with the idea. "I could be Rick, I can't be Higgins because he's too old, or Robin Masters, because no-one is sure he actually exists, which only leaves TC, who is really cool but, I don't know how to fly a helicopter and I can play the piano real well, just like Rick."
"You can?" Gibbs was surprised. DiNozzo had kept that talent well hidden.
"My Mom used to take me," Tony looked reflective. "I used to hate it but now I kind of miss it. My Dad won't let me go, he thinks it's for girls. He wants me to play sports."
"Here," Gibbs took off his NCIS cap and placed it gently on DiNozzo's head. "If you're going to be my partner you'd better look the part."
"Wow," Tony beamed. "Thanks Special Agent Gibbs."
"You call me, Boss."
"Okay, Boss," Tony agreed easily. "You can call me Rick."
"Something wrong with Tony?" Gibbs asked dryly.
"I guess not," He agreed cheerfully. "So can we get out of here, Boss?"
"Yeah," Gibbs whapped him playfully on the peak of the cap, causing the younger man to let out a peal of actual giggles. Better, Gibbs thought. He might not know much about psychiatry but he knew what DiNozzo needed. "Let's go see what the Docs have done with your stuff."
The first thing Gibbs did was find a likely looking diner, pulling into the lot of a small, independent place with an odd feeling of coming home. He knew DiNozzo had spent a lot of time in places like this as a cop so his wide-eyed wonder was something of a reality check. Not for the first time, Gibbs felt a warm respect for the way DiNozzo had balanced his privileged upbringing with the demands of life as a law enforcement officer.
He quirked a brow as Tony frowned, in great concentration, at the fairly straightforward menu.
"Something bothering you?
"There are so many Pizzas," Tony admitted. "I don't know which one to choose."
"Just pick your favourite and go with that."
"I don't exactly have a favourite. We don't really go to places that serve Pizza and the last time I tried to order in the delivery boy got caught by Tom, our security guard and my Dad got mad."
"Pepperoni, Sausage and extra cheese," Gibbs decided for him. "Trust me you've going to love it."
They didn't talk much as they waited for the food to arrive, Tony sat, hardly fidgeting at all, and he was a lot quieter than Gibbs was used to. Part of him reflected that the elder DiNozzo had the kid really well trained. The other part of him missed the easy confidence of his Agent's irrrepressive nature.
"Oh wow," Tony's face lit up, at the sight of the enormous disc of pizza although, he still waited politely until Gibbs also had his meal.
"Dig in." Gibbs encouraged.
He needed no more invitation but, to Gibbs surprise, he picked up his knife and fork and begun cutting clumsily at the thick crust, failing to work with the cast as he sent a small piece of Pizza flying across the room and attracting the attention of other diners.
"Sorry." Tony gave him a nervous look, before biting his lip and cutting at the next piece with increased concentration and determination. But the knife-edge was too blunt to do the job effectively and, just as he got to the last cut the blade slipped, sending another piece flying.
"Give me your plate." Gibbs ordered.
Tony's face fell, as he curled his arm protectively around his prize, looking at the Agent with pleading eyes. "No, please. I'll be more careful."
"Hey," Gibbs deliberately gentled his tone. "I'm not going to take it. I'm just going to cut it up for you."
His face still dark with distrust, Tony nonetheless edged the plate carefully across the table, Gibbs gave him an encouraging smile, making short work of cutting up the pizza, before returning the meal.
"Pick the pieces up with your fingers."
Tony glanced at him, a spark of mischief appearing in his eyes, as he nudged the plate ever so slightly in Gibbs direction.
"You first."
Gibbs lip quirked slightly at the challenge. Even at ten, DiNozzo could still surprise him. Picking up one of the pieces, he very slowly and deliberately lowered it down his throat, aware of the childish, round-eyed stare watching the proceedings with glee.
"Your turn."
"This is fun," Tony lifted a slice and hung it vertically as he chewed off the end. " I wish I could do this with my Dad."
"You don't get to hang out with your Dad, much?"
"Not like this," Tony shook his head. "After Mom died, he started taking to his CWR weekends but, those are no fun at all. He won't let me fire a gun or take part in the battles, or do any of the cool stuff. Most of the time he just drinks with his buddies and hardly even notices I'm there. When I asked if I could actually do something he gave me this stupid job," Tony's expression darkened. "Just because I'm not top of my class in everything in school he thinks I can't do anything."
Gibbs, who knew exactly what task DiNozzo had thought, fitting for his son, clenched his jaw at the waste of all that enthusiasm and potential. And then he had an idea. It couldn't hurt and it might just help DiNozzo remember who and what he really was.