Tom let his fingers trace the lines of the picture. A happy family. His pregnant daughter, his son in law, and his grandson. Tom smiled as he looked at them all grinning, their eyes fixed on the camera, and thus, on him. He sighed as he placed the picture back on his desk. The cat was out of the bag and there would be questions. For everyone that knew Julia, it would be as if it just happened. Which gave a whole new problem to account for. What was he to tell the people that wanted to send Tony flowers and condolances? Tom worried his lower lip for a while before picking up his phone and dialling Tony's number, something he hadn't done in three months.
"Tom? Something wrong?" Tony's gruff and overly tired voice answered.
"No, not really. Or maybe, I'm not sure," Tom said and sighed. "I told Jethro, which means..."
"Ducky tried calling. Then Abby. Then Gibbs. I didn't answer."
"I guess I should tell people to let me forward the message," Tom said. There was a pause from Tony and some low speaking.
"I'm sorry Tom, I'm very busy right now, I'm getting closer."
"Tony...please don't do this. You've been trying for five years and all it's gotten you is trouble. And angry people in high places," Tom said as he looked at the picture again.
"Don't care," Tony replied, "Just a sec Tom...yeah? What? When? Another one? Something for me? Well what is it?" Tony asked. There was silence for a while. "Bastard sent another note. Bye Tom," Tony said and hung up. Tom sighed and hung up as well before leaning back in his chair. The hardest thing he'd done, was handing that case over to Gibbs. Of course, he knew Gibbs was the best man for the job, but what he really wanted to do was to pair up with Tony and hunt down the man that killed his daughter and grandson. Like any sane person would do, he told himself. What he was wondering was if Tony was sane right now. Talking about his daughter's death had reopened the scabs that had so delicately begun to form, and now it felt as if it had happened just a few hours ago. He could still see the gurneys, he could still see Tony's hand reaching for them one last time. And he remembered what happened at the morgue.
FLASHBACK:
"I can't go in there Tom," Tony said quietly. He was standing with his back against the door and Tom was looking inside at the two sheetclad bodies. Tom looked over at Tony. He looked pale, older. Right now he looked like Gibbs had done. He raised his hand and put it on Tony's shoulder. As much as he resented the thought of having to stay strong, he really had to. For Tony. Julia might have been his daughter, and Junior his grandson. Christina his unborn granddaughter. But they were Tony's. Julia had been his wife, Junior his son, and Christina his unborn daughter. And Tony wasn't strong right now. Tony turned his head to look at him. "Please don't make me do this Tom," Tony said. Tom squeezed his shoulder.
"Tony, you need to do this, if nothing else, to say goodbye," Tom said. "That's what I'm planning to do, and I think it's important that you do this as well. Please. For them," Tom said. Tony looked inside the room, took several deep breaths, and looked at Tom. Tom smiled gently and looked at Tony. "Ready?"
"No," Tony replied as they opened the door. The two men entered the cold sterile room and both stood frozen solid to the ground. Tony almost knew what to expect, but Tom didn't. When the ME pulled back the sheet from Julia's face, he felt sick. She was so pale, stitches sticking up coming from her chest. He swallowed hard and walked over to her.
"Bye babygirl," Tom whispered and kissed her forehead. Tony walked over and stood next to him.
"She looks almost peacefull now," Tony said quietly, which made Tom briefly wonder what her face had looked like when Tony had found her. He blinked to clear his head and saw Tony kiss Julia's lips before turning to face the other body. The small one. "Tom, I can't do this," Tony hissed quietly to him. Tom grabbed his wrist, and Tony stilled. The ME removed the sheet and they just stared. Theere were so many stitches.
"Bye Junior," Tom said and ran a hand through the boy's hair. Tony kissed his son's hand and lay it back.
"I love you son," Tony said and swallowed thickly.
"He looks peacefull," Tom said and cleared his throat.
"No he doesn't," Tony said, his voice calm and filled with anger. "He looks like me," he stated and went outside of the room. Tom nodded to the ME and walked out after Tony who was leaning on the wall, his whole body shaking with barely controlled rage.
"Tony-" Tom began but was cut off when Tony turned around, a rage Tom had never seen in Tony before evident in his eyes.
"NO! They died because of me, Tom! WHY aren't you angry with me? I was supposed to protect them and I couldn't! I WASN'T THERE!" Tony yelled and slammed the wall behind him repeatedly. Tom grabbed Tony's wrist.
"Tony, listen to me. What happened wasn't your fault! You HAVE to let it go!" Tom said. "We've been...we're not allowed to speak of her death to anyone," Tom said quietly. Tony's whole body went lax and he just stared at Tom in dispair.
"I have to pretend this is okay?" Tony asked quietly. He sounded like a child almost. "I have to go to work tomorrow, and pretend nothing happened? I have to pretend she's not dead? That Junior's not dead?" Tony asked, louder and louder. "Are you telling me that I have to go out there and SMILE?" Tony yelled. Tom swallowed and leant back slightly. "That's not happening. How the hell can you be so cold!" Tony growled and stalked away from Tom.
"They think it was someone close to either of us," Tom said loudly. Tony stopped dead in his tracks and turned around, looking at Tom. "You don't have to smile, you don't have to pretend. But you can't tell people what happened. They think it was someone close to me."
"Gibbs?" Tony asked. Tom stared blankly at him a few moments.
"Hell no!" Tom growled as he stalked over to Tony. "Jethro lost his wife and daughter! He would never do such a thing!" Tom growled. Tony didn't step back. "HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT!" Tom yelled and punched Tony square in the jaw. Tony did nothing, just stood there, his eyes sad. "Oh God I'm sorry Tony. I just..."
"It's okay," Tony said calmly. "Tom, we have to have a small funeral. I can't stand more people than us. She always hated me fussing around and making a big deal out of things," Tony said. Tom smiled slightly.
"I think we can do that," Tom said. "What do you say, just you and me, and them," Tom smiled. Tony nodded. "Does she still like those black roses Abby sent her?" Tom asked.
"She told me to drive to Virginia to get some. What do you think?" Tony said with a snort. Tom chuckled.
END FLASHBACK
Tom dialled Gibbs's number.
"Gibbs," Gibbs's gruff voice answered.
"Anything?" Tom asked.
"Working on it, but it's not a lot to go on. You know anything?"
"Well, Tony's been ignoring Ducky's, Abby's, and your calls. He picked up for me, but he seems pretty sure he's on the verge of finding the killer. I don't think he's protecting someone Jethro, I think he's hunting someone. And I think he's closer than Tony thinks," Tom said.
"His partner?" Gibbs asked.
"Finkelton was involved in the -97 scandal. The one with the hooker? It seems that he provided the weapons for the killers, but he got off on a technicality. Tony never believed he did it. Tony also didn't have many friends. He had one, Finkelton," Tom said.
"Tony's not easy to fool," Gibbs countered.
"After Julia died, Tony had no friends. Everyone turned their back on him when he began drinking. He changed. He became withdrawn, he started scaring Jefferson," Tom said.
"Yeah?"
"I got a call, six months after Julia's death. Tony was in the hospital, I was listed as next of kin. Tony had been a hostage in a hostage situation, and shot himself in the shoulder to escape. Jefferson wanted to know if he was suicidal. I told him he wasn't, but who the hell does that?" Tom asked.
"He always did watch a lot of movies," Gibbs said.
"True. But I think it's a different reason that made him do it."
"He thought he had nothing to lose," Gibbs finished for him. Tom nodded to the empty room.
"I've been called a lot. I've been there every time. I remember I've been keeping you updated every time," Tom said.
"I agree that 8 months hospital time in five years is too much," Gibbs replied.
"He calmed down some after Finkelton turned out to be his savior from the bottle," Tom said. "But Finkelton HAS been a suspect ONE to many times to be counted out of this."
"Tom, don't worry, I'm checking everything," Gibbs said. "He won't get away."
"I know Jethro. Just make sure Tony doesn't die in the process. I can't lose him too."
"You won't." Gibbs said and hung up. Tom placed his phone on his desk and looked out the window.
"I hope you're right Jethro," he mumbled.
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AN: AND another one because I love you guys :D R&R :D
