Chapter 7 – What a Scandal
"Get in here now," Jethro yelled at Anthony on the phone. As he had been leaving, Leon had been brought into the ER with a gunshot wound to the shoulder and Jethro had instantly known what had caused it. He had called Anthony right away when he arrived home.
Twenty minutes later, Ziva stood in front of Jethro's desk, while Anthony waited by the door, leaning against the door frame.
"What the hell were you thinking, Ziva?" Jethro yelled.
"He needed a message," Ziva yelled back, equally loud.
"That wasn't your place," Jethro said.
"He killed my baby," Ziva yelled. This silenced Jethro.
"So it was true? You were pregnant?" Jethro asked.
"Yes," Ziva said.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Jethro asked.
"I wasn't aware that I had to," Ziva spat. "I'm not one of your employee's."
"You should have told me," Jethro said, his voice raised again.
"And you should have told me what really happened that night, both of you," Ziva said, turning to glare at Anthony.
Abby looked up as a nurse entered Tim's room.
"Mr. McGee, you've been cleared for discharge," the nurse said.
"So, I'm fine?" Tim asked.
"Yup," the nurse said. "You may have a headache for the next couple days though; and I wouldn't suggest anymore exploding cars." The nurse walked out of the room and there was an uncomfortable silence until Tim turned his head to look at Abigail.
"I'm glad I was there to save you," Tim said. Abigail smiled and leaned over and kissed him, right as Jethro walked in.
The ride back to Ziva's apartment was silent. Ziva sat in the passenger's seat with her head against the window the entire ride. When they got to the apartment Ziva went straight to her room and slammed the door. Anthony ran his hands through his hair and flopped onto the couch. He pulled the ring box out of his pocket, flipped it open, and stared at the ring inside. So much had gone wrong the past few weeks, and Anthony wondered if they'd be able to recover. Hearing the door open down the hall, Anthony quickly closed the box and stuffed it under a pillow just as Ziva walked in. She leaned over Anthony from behind him and ran her hands down his chest.
"I'm sorry," Ziva whispered into Anthony's hair. Anthony pulled Ziva over the back of the couch into his lap and pulled the ring box out from under the pillow.
"Marry me?" Anthony asked just as there was a knock at the door.
Jethro stared at Abigail and Tim, who had broken apart. Tom looked horrified, Abigail looked defiant, and Jethro looked pissed.
"What the hell," Jethro began.
"Dad, just don't," Abigail said. "I am entitled to kiss whomever I want."
"I told him," Jethro growled.
"I don't care what you told him," Abigail said hotly. "I'm not a little girl anymore, and you can't tell me what to do, and, you know what, Dad? I think I love Tim, and I know that he would do anything for me, so just layoff." Jethro just stared at his daughter.
"Okay," he said simply.
"Dad, didn't you just, wait, what?" Abigail said, obviously thrown from her father's answer.
"I said okay," Jethro said. "If I'm going to trust anyone with my daughter, it would be Tim."
"Really, Dad?" Abigail asked and Jethro nodded. Abigail ran to her father and hugged him tightly.
"But if he hurts you," Jethro began.
"You'll take him to the lake," Abigail finished, rolling her eyes.
The knocking at the door grew louder, but both Ziva and Anthony ignored it.
"Will you?" Anthony prompted.
"Yes," Ziva said. Anthony smiled and slipped the ring onto Ziva's finger. Ziva pressed her lips to his and they kissed for a moment, but were interrupted when the door was knocked down and several FBI agents swarmed in.
"Ziva David," the one agent said who looked like he was in charge. "You're under arrest for the murders of Michael Donovan and David Carter and assault with a deadly weapon."
"When did this supposedly happen?" Anthony asked as the agent that had spoken handcuffed Ziva.
"Last night, between ten and midnight," the agent said.
"She was at home, with me," Anthony said, and he could feel Ziva's eyes boring into him, but he refused to look at her.
"We have a witness placing her at the scene," the agent said.
"Who's your witness? Leon Vance?" Anthony asked. "He's got it out for my family, so he's not exactly trustworthy, and, if you would do a background check on him, you will find that he's got a rap sheet longer than the Golden Gate Bridge, so I suggest you investigate a little more before you barge in here and accuse my fiancé of murder." The agent looked at Anthony long and hard.
"Let her go," he said. The agent that was holding Ziva looked flabbergasted.
"But Deputy Director Booth, with all due respect," the agent began.
"Agent Freeman, let Ms. David go," Booth growled. Booth turned to look at Anthony. "So help me, if I find out you're lying," Booth let the threat trail off.
"You know us DiNozzo's, we're the good mob," Anthony said with a smile.
When Jethro had first met Sal DiNozzo, he had been eighteen and Sal had been twenty. The two had immediately hit it off and Sal had helped Jethro rise through the ranks of the mob. They had been the best man at each other's weddings and they were appointed as the godfather's of each other's children.
Sal's wife had died shortly after Jenny was murdered from breast cancer and Sal was too busy with the mob left to him by his father to spend time with his young grieving son. Jethro had taken it upon himself to bring Anthony along with him and Abigail whenever they did something. If Abigail wanted to go to the park with her father, Jethro would make sure the Anthony was included. As Anthony grew, he began to depend on Jethro for fatherly advice and support.
Anthony had not shed one tear when his father had died.
Alright, I know that it's short, but this is really more of a filler chapter than anything, nice and fluffy. Good news, I just finished typing chapter 10 and I am definately going to exceed 10 chapters, which I am excited about. Also, a special thanks to cable_addict for all of her help with this story. I don't know what I would do without her!!
AND PLEASE REVIEW!
