Enjoy! I do not own NCIS...
Chapter 9
Tony had planned on spending Friday shopping and sightseeing downtown with his father, but their plans changed when Senior woke up with a cold. He changed the sheets on his bed and insisted that his dad move from the couch to the bedroom.
"Don't be silly, Junior," he said from the couch, his eyes still closed, "I'm fine here."
"I insist, dad," Tony said, taking his father by the arm and helping him up. He made soup and delivered it to Senior's bedside.
"Thank you, son," Senior said.
"Don't mention it, dad. It's the least I could do. With everything that's been going on, I never got the chance to thank you," Tony replied, sitting next to his father on the edge of the bed.
"Thank me for what, Junior?" He asked as he sipped his hot chicken soup.
"This last week has been… difficult… to say the least," Tony said with a small, sad smile, "If you hadn't come, I'd probably be half dead from liquor or starvation… probably both. I appreciate you being here, dad, and I'm sorry if I seemed like I didn't want you around. I needed you… I didn't know it, but I needed you… and you were there."
"Don't thank me for that, son," Senior said soberly, "That's what a father is supposed to do. That's how I should've been there for you from the beginning. I've always loved you, Junior. But I made work and play my priorities instead of you… and not a day goes by that I don't regret it. I became an old man before I realized that I was a bad father. I'm so sorry for that, son. All I can do now is make it up to you when and where I can. So don't thank me for what I should've been doing from the start. I love you, Tony."
Tony's lip trembled at Senior's words, and tears once again threatened him. These weren't the usual burning, angry tears of grief, though. They were of love and happiness and relief. This was the breakthrough that he'd been waiting for with Senior for his entire life. Tony didn't reply, but leaned over and hugged his dad tightly. "I love you Junior. I'm so sorry about everything. There's just one last thing I need to tell you."
"What's that?"
"I'm so proud of you, son. Proud of the boy I had… and even more proud of the man that you've become. You know that I don't have a lot of money these days, but that's not important. I've learned recently that all we truly have is who we leave behind. And if the man that I helped bring into this world is the measure of my success… then I'm the richest man on the planet. I love you, Tony," Senior said again.
I love you too, dad," Tony said, hugging him tightly. After a minute he pulled away and wiped the unfamiliar, happy tears from his eyes.
"Why don't you go out, Junior? It's supposed to be a beautiful day. Besides, if you stay here catering to me, you'll end up with a cold yourself. And son, I know how you are when you're sick," Senior said playfully.
Tony smiled, and while he didn't want to admit it, getting out of his apartment sounded great. "I don't want to leave you by yourself when you're sick, dad."
"It's just a little cold, Junior. Nothing terminal. I'll be fine. Go see your friends, enjoy the weather and have a good day."
"You sure?"
"Son, if you don't go then we'll spend the day watching my civil war reenactment videos."
Senior laughed heartily when his threat made Tony jump off the bed and say, "Well, I guess there's no point in spending such a beautiful day indoors…"
"You have fun today, Junior. God knows you deserve it. I'll be right here when you get home."
By mid morning Tony was in his car, and feeling better than he had in what felt like forever. "I should go bother the Probie," he thought to himself as he started driving. Then he remembered what Tim and Abby were doing that day, and his gut twisted into a knot thinking about it. Trying to hang on to his good mood but not anywhere near able to go to Ziva's, he steered his car toward Gibbs' house.
He smiled when he saw McGee pulling up at Gibbs' the same time he did. He parked, jumped out of his car and called, "Hey Probie! What are you doing here? I thought that you and Abby were…" He trailed off when McGee got out off his Porche and he saw the angry, determined look on his face.
"Probie?" Tony called again, trying to get his attention. Tim did not respond, so Tony followed him into Gibbs' house. When he walked in the door behind McGee, he froze. His jaw dropped in shock as he watched his once timid and panicky Probie confidently march up to Gibbs and punch him in the jaw.
Gibbs was surprised by Tim showing up, but not at all surprised that he hit him. He stumbled backwards, but caught himself on the mantle so he didn't fall. McGee stepped toward him and punched him again, this time in the eye. Then he stood tall and glared at him, both of his hands clenched. Gibbs noticed Tony in the corner of the living room behind Tim, shocked into silence and watching the both of them to try and figure out what the hell was going on. He did not acknowledge or greet Tony, though. There was plenty of time for greetings later. Right now, Gibbs' primary focus was how to delicately deal with his youngest's completely justified anger. Gibbs knew he messed up, and figured the best way to start was to acknowledge it.
"I deserved that," Gibbs said as he licked his lips, tasted blood in his mouth, and felt his eye start to swell.
Tony's jaw hit the floor.
"Goddamn right you did!" Tim replied angrily. "Gibbs, how could you do this to her? Look, I know you're upset. We all are. But you hurting her the way you did is inexcusable! I really didn't think you had it in you, Gibbs… 'Sorry Abby, I love you and you love me but you need to stay away from me now.' Gibbs, what the fuck?!"
"Listen, McGee…" Gibbs said softly, desperate to explain his actions. It broke his heart to see Tim so pissed at him, and it broke his heart even more when he glanced at Tony, who was still standing back in the corner but now had a bewildered look on his face and two fat tears rolling down his cheeks.
"No, you listen!" Tim interrupted, stepping toward him again and looking him dead in the eye, "Abby is my best friend. It'll be a cold day in hell when I let anyone treat her like that, you included! She loves you Gibbs, and you hurt her! When I got to Ziva's she was already there and crying because of you! And even though you broke her heart and threw her out, she's convinced that you'll come around and try to make things right. After all of her sadness and heartache, she still has faith in you, still trusts you. But you know what? I'm not so sure about you anymore. If the great and powerful Leroy Jethro Second B is for Bastard Gibbs thinks I'm going to stand and aside and watch silently while you hurt her, then you've got another thing coming. She is the best out of all of us, and doesn't deserve to be treated like that. She deserves to have friends that fight for her, not push her away!" Tim trembled with rage and took one step closer. "Go ahead and have me arrested for assault. It'll be the easiest time ever served. And you can go ahead and fire me too, while you're at it. If you think that'll make me go away, you are sorely mistaken. Job or no job, I'll make your life a living hell. Count on it. You may just have to shoot me."
Gibbs' heart swelled with pride and admiration, despite Tim's harsh words. When he'd first met Timothy McGee, he saw potential in the panicky, stuttering and impossibly green probie, but never imagined that he'd come as far as he had. For years Tim had been dedicated and hard working, and now Gibbs was seeing the full fruits of Tim's hard labor. Gone was the nervous, stuttering boy. A man now stood before him; a confident, protective, angry man with one hell of a left hook.
"You're right, McGee."
McGee's expression changed from angry to confused.
"You're absolutely right. I was out of line. Abby shouldn't have had to go through that, especially while she's grieving. I messed up, Tim. I made a mistake. Rule 51. But I realized that I was wrong, even before you gave me the shiner." Gibbs gave him a sad but slightly amused smirk. "I had planned on going over to talk to her today, but didn't want to bother her while you two were at Ziva's." He paused, rubbed his swollen eye and then continued, "I had coffee with Ducky this morning. He helped me see some things that I haven't been seeing so clearly since Ziva died. You have every right to be pissed at me. I just need you to know that I got it. I know I was wrong. And I do plan on making it right."
Tim took a deep breath and finally unclenched his fists. "You really mean that, Boss?" he asked hopefully, and Gibbs felt his heart slowly being pieced back together.
"Yeah… Yeah, I do. You know how I feel about apologies, right?"
"They're a sign of weakness," Tim responded without a second though.
"Usually, yeah…" Gibbs replied, "But never between family. Abby is lucky to have you as a friend. I'm sorry, Tim, for putting you in this position."
Tim sighed with relief and let Gibbs pull him in for a hug. "Proud of you, McGee," he whispered as he hugged him. He glanced up at Tony, who was still standing silently behind Tim. He was still confused, but the bewildered look was gone and relief flooded his features. "DiNozzo," Gibbs called gruffly, holding out an arm.
Tony finally approached and wrapped his arms around both of them. "Someday you two might have to explain what in the happy hell just happened," Tony said, his face half buried in Gibbs' shoulder.
Gibbs and McGee laughed at his comment, and Tony smiled at their reaction. "I'm proud of you boys," Gibbs said, not yet willing to let them go, "I know I'm a bastard sometimes. I'm not always easy to get along with or understand. But I'm always proud of you… and I'll always love you."
The three finally broke their embrace, and Tim looked sheepishly at Gibbs, "Sorry for hitting you, Boss."
"I deserved it," Gibbs said simply, "You did what you had to do. Just don't make it a habit, OK?"
"Copy that, Boss," Tim replied, relieved that Gibbs hadn't shot, fired, or arrested him. "I should get back to Ziva's to help Abby."
"She there by herself?" Gibbs asked.
"No. The movers should still be there, and Sister Rosita is there helping too. I uh… I also left her my Sig."
Gibbs smirked, "Was that to keep her safe or keep you from shooting me?"
"Maybe a little of both," Tim replied with a chuckle.
"Go on, McGee. Will you ask Abby to come over when you're done?"
"You got it." Tim turned to leave but turned back around to face him when he got to the door. "One more thing, Boss. I uh… I didn't mean what I said… About not being sure about you. I know you've got my six. And I've still got yours."
"Copy that, McGee."
Tim offered a smile, then left to go back to Ziva's.
Gibbs finally sat down on the couch, his jaw aching and eye swollen but satisfied that he was able to start mending the cracks he created. Tony went into the kitchen, and despite it being not quite 11 AM on a weekday, took two beers out of the refrigerator. He twisted the caps off then returned to the living room, sitting next to Gibbs on the couch and handing him a beer.
Gibbs took a long swig, then closed his eyes and held the cold bottle against the swollen one.
They sat in silence for a few minutes before Tony cleared his throat, "Hey, Boss?"
"Hmm?" Gibbs answered, his eyes still closed.
"Did you just lose a fight against the Elf Lord?"
Gibbs opened his good eye and looked over at Tony, who was grinning for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, and his eyes sparkled with amusement.
Gibbs laughed out loud, both at Tony's question and with relief that Tony was finally starting to seem like his old self again. After he laughed, he took another long swig of beer and shrugged his shoulders. "Can't win 'em all, DiNozzo."
TBC…
