A/N: Thanks again enormously to all my readers and reviewers - you guys are awesome, and stoking my fire for additional writing!

Chapter 4

Gibbs wished he was stunned, wished this was inconceivable. But, as he squeezed the back of Tony's neck in consolation, it really just made him sad… and angry, never far behind. Maybe he never should have tried to rope in the elder DiNozzo, prompt him to be the decent Father he'd never been before. You can shove a horse in the water, but he ain't gonna take a bath. Apparently the man couldn't even manage being a decent damn human being.

Family, always complicated. But not usually such a damn cluster as this.

Bringing Tony some ginger ale over ice, Gibbs sat on the coffee table in front of Tony and said, "So you're sure you don't want to sue him? You'd have a pretty decent case. Could be he's done this before to others, or might yet."

Tony sighed in relief on finishing the soda and handed over the empty glass, "No, that's one of the reasons I called Simmons. Bunch of bankruptcy and tax issues aside, she said no previous incidences or complaints against him. But now mine's on file in case something happens in the future. And no, I don't want to see him in court, don't want to drag this out any worse than it already is."

Tony fell silent, the hum of the refrigerator strangely loud.

Then he whispered, "Don't want to see him again at all really. Ever. I'm done Boss. Done trying."

Slowly loosing his battle with exhaustion and alcohol, he added, "I know more than most it's just money, didn't even feel like it was mine really. Except for my personal $40,000-odd, that smarts. The bulk of it was Mom's. Only dipped into it twice, both times for Dad, thought she'd like that. That second time, for his birthday party? I thought it would help set him up Boss, get him rubbing elbows with his contacts again, new deals, get him back on his feet. Knew she'd want that."

"She couldn't have had big plans for me as a kid, never really mentioned what she hoped I'd become someday…but I'm sure she didn't expect me to be a complete dumbass. To just lose her gift within four years of getting it." He shook his head slightly and sighed.

Gibbs was glad no one ever expected him speak, because finding the right words right now was beyond him. Generally, he found platitudes completely useless, and he couldn't even imagine Hallmark having a card for this situation. Visualizing bloodying the elder DiNozzo, possibly down a flight of concrete stairs, was slightly satisfying at the moment, but Tony obviously wasn't ready to hear that yet.

Silence again, then an anguished Tony continued, "I know my Mom… well, even if she wasn't the best Mom ever, I know she loved me. And I let her down Boss." His eyes were burning for some reason as drifted to sleep.

Shaking his head, so were Gibbs', as painful moments from his own youth came back to him. As he sat, rubbing a hand over his face, watching Tony sink deeper into sleep, he attempted to review the situation like a case. Unfortunately, not every agent in the FBI was an idiot, and he had to agree with their assessment for a criminal trial. With an irritating sense of futility, he wished Tony wasn't taking this as a personal failure so much. But knowing his SFA so well, there was no other way he would take it. Covering Tony with a blanket after making him as comfortable as possible, Gibbs turned down the lights and set the alarm clock on Tony's phone.

As he set a glass of water and aspirin on the coffee table, Gibbs wished he could fix the whole ugly situation as easily as a hangover.