"About time you showed your face, Gibbs. I was about to send my boys out looking for you," Joey Hernandez said, flicking his cigarette to the side.

Tony scoffed. He shook his head and lit a cigarette of his own, taking a long drag before casually glancing around the small alleyway. He counted two of Joey's older cousins and Joey's best friend standing off to the side, sneering at him, ready to pounce.

It had taken him quite some time to sneak away from the NIS agent in charge of looking after him, and he knew that he didn't have too long before they found him. The newest "safe house" with the two NIS agents playing foster parents was suffocating to say the least. They both hated each other and living with them was driving Tony to insanity. Yet, his father hadn't made contact at all and Macy still forbade him from calling Jethro. It had been nearly two weeks and he had been moved four times already, and there was talk that he was once again being moved tomorrow – this time far away from Washington D.C. and he knew that today would be the last day to give Joey his money and merchandise.

"Relax, Hernandez," Tony said coolly. "I got your money and your shit right here. Just wanted to say I'm out."

"Out?" Hernandez yelled, catching the attention of a late night passerby. "What do you mean out? You can't get out," he hissed.

"I mean out. I'm moving. I can't fucking stick around," Tony stated.

"See, this is why my uncle always told me never trust a white man," Joey said with a roll of his eyes. "Never loyal…"

"What do you want me to do, Hernandez? It's not like I have a damn choice!" Tony defended.

"I'm going to tell you what to do, Gringo. You take this shit and you sell it like I told you to the first time or I'm going to pop a damn cap in your behind," Joey said getting into Tony's face. "Better yet," he whispered, his face close enough to Tony's for him to feel Joey's hot breath. "I'll pop one in your dad's head and you'll really be a damn orphan."

Tony's fist flew up and hit Joey square in the jaw before any of the other boys could make a move. Joey stumbled back, his lower lip dripping blood onto his white t-shirt. Quickly the two older boys restrained Tony, one punching him in the abdomen for good measure, earning a howl of pain from the brown headed teen. Joey stepped forward and punched Tony twice more in the abdomen sending Tony reeling to the ground. Tony crawled into a fetal position as the other boys kicked him mercilessly all over his body. The darkness was quickly engulfing the boy as the pain quickly subsided to numbness, his ears ringing with blood and the sounds of ribs breaking. The voices of Joey and his crew were muffled as someone kicked Tony on the head. Hard. Then, as quickly as it started, it stopped. Tears were running down Tony's face as he struggled to breath. Someone yanked on his hair earning a soft yelp from the beaten boy.

"I know your secret…"

Tony DiNozzo awoke with a start. Sweat glued his brown hair to his forehead as the sheets stuck to him like a second skin. The door to the room opened and Tony's immediate reaction set off warning signals in both Gibbs and Fornell's heads. They watched as the detective scrambled to the top of the bed, his hand immediately reaching for the firearm, blindly clicking off the safety.

"Holy shit, Tony, it's just us!" Fornell yelled out putting his hand up in the air.

"Dad?" Tony questioned his voice sounding unnaturally young as it broke; his eyebrows coming together in confusion.

"No, DiNozzo. It's us – Fornell and Gibbs," Fornell said carefully glancing over at Gibbs who seemed frozen in place.

"Oh," color rushed up to Tony's cheeks as he clicked the safety back on the gun. "Sorry about that."

"Must have been one hell of a dream…" Gibbs cut in his eyes locked on Tony.

Tony peeled the covers off of himself as he scrambled to get a grip on reality once more. Fornell settled down at the foot of the bed while Gibbs still stood frozen in place; unaware of what to do next. If this was his Tony he knew that a cold glass of water was the next step in combating the nightmare. He would sit at the bottom of the bed patiently as his son recollected his dream. He would rub Tony's back gently and tell him that it was just a dream and that he's safe. If this was his Tony he'd be able to comfort him like a father would know to comfort his son. But this wasn't his Tony.

Gibbs watched as Fornell patted Tony twice on the back before the young detective shrinked away. Fornell whispered soft, reassuring words to Tony while he shook his head stubbornly, his hands running through his hair leaving it sticking up in all sorts of odd angles like his Tony's would. Gibbs watched as Tony shakily took the crumpled napkin on the nightstand back into his hand, studying it carefully. His fearful eyes meeting Gibbs' and for a second Gibbs thought he was looking into the eyes of his son.

Without thinking about it, Gibbs strode out of the room momentarily coming back with a glass of cold water. He shoved it into the detective's hands ordering him to drink. Unexpectedly, he ruffled the young man's hair, surprised at just how soft it actually was – just how much it felt like Tony's. His Tony's. He took his hand away as if the gesture burned, his heart aching as just how similar this Tony was to his.

"It was just a dream, kid," Gibbs said, his tone mirroring that of a father Tony once had.

Tony nodded awkwardly, his eyes falling away in attempt to hide the tears rushing to his eyes. The sun was setting behind him now, the white snow making it unusually bright outside. The sounds of Dora the Explorer playing softly downstairs reminded both father and son of memories of another lifetime, long ago. No one said anything as both the older agents attempted to comfort the thirty year old man in front of them, unsure of what to do. Tony himself was far too embarrassed to say anything choosing instead to school his expression back to one of his many masks. A goofy one to fit the occasion. However, he failed in trying to lighten the situation by telling a joke, only earning reproving looks from the older men.

"I'm going to go hit the head," Tony finally stated getting out of bed.

He wobbled – much like Tony Gibbs would do after getting out of bed too fast from a nightmare. With a father's reflex, Gibbs caught Tony by the elbow, steadying him before he fell. Gibbs was surprised when Tony almost leaned into his touch before quickly jumping away, stuttering out an excuse that he really had to go.

Fornell watched the interaction sadly. It was evident to the FBI agent just how close the two once were and it broke his heart to know just how distant they were now. When Tony moved Gibbs moved. They looked like an unbeatable team. Fornell knew that if they just let their demons of their past go they would be. But sadly, when either got too close the other jumped away as if burned by the familiar intimacy.

"What the hell is going on Tobias?" Gibbs growled out after he was sure Tony was not within hearing distance.

Fornell scoffed at the question, rubbing his face. He wanted to tell his friend more than anything that at the moment, what was going on was his son needed his attention. He wanted to tell his friend that he could be a father to his son again, that all the feelings he was feeling inside was because this was his Tony. That despite the fact fifteen years ago he was told his son was dead, he was here, alive and well. He wanted to tell Gibbs that he had kept his promise and had kept his son safe.

"I told you, the kid's been through a lot. He gets nightmares from time to time. Part of the job you know?" Fornell chose to say instead, looking away, ashamed.

"No, no one gets nightmares to the point they can't even differentiate who the hell their father is and who isn't," Gibbs said.

He knows who his father is. Fornell thought sadly.

The sound of a flushing toilet saved Fornell from having to respond to the angry man. Tony appeared at the doorway, his face dripping with water. Gibbs scowled as he watched a silent exchange of words happen between Fornell and Tony, with him right in the middle.

"Are you two going to give me a sit-rep anytime soon?" Gibbs finally snapped.

"I know who wrote on that napkin," Tony said, ignoring Gibbs entirely.

"Who?" Both Fornell and Gibbs asked at the same time.

"Kid I used to know before I went to Rhode Island Military," Tony sighed out causing the color to drain from Fornell's face.

"Before RIMA…but that means…" Fornell started.

Tony nodded. "Yeah."

"Clearly I'm missing a very big piece of the picture here," Gibbs growled. "Does this have anything to do with the case we're working on, DiNozzo? Or is this personal?"

""It's personal and it won't interfere with your precious case," Tony snapped out.

"If it has something to do with your past Tony then it could have everything to do with the case. The case could simply just be a set up to get you guys in the same vicinity," Fornell spoke up loosening his tie.

"I'll handle it by myself. It's been a long time coming anyways," Tony said pushing off the door post.

"Why would anyone want him and me in the same 'vicinity'?" Gibbs scoffed out.

"No way, you can't handle this by yourself. I won't let you! It's too dangerous," Fornell stood up effectively blocking Tony from getting his badge and gun sitting on the table, completely ignoring Gibbs' question.

"I have no other choice," Tony said quietly.

Gibbs could literally feel his internal temperature rising as the room took in an odd hue of red. His frustration was coloring his world as he watched the exchange between Tony and Fornell, still completely unaware of what was going on. When they had discussed what secret could possibly in danger Tony Fornell and Tony both danced around the subject. They included him in the discussion but only to a point. Fornell insisted that Tony napped and suddenly the boy knew who sent the napkin? Gibbs was a trained investigator and as such he was able to see things that others couldn't. Better yet, he was one of NCIS's best. He won more awards and had more case closures than even his old boss Mike Franks. No one could get anything past him. He was able to read people and he prided himself on that. It's what made him great. But ever since he's met this young man his world had been turned upside down. Tony was impossible to read. He had a mask on every single day of his life. He was able to play whatever role he needed to and he transformed before Gibbs' own eyes each time he was in the presence of someone else. He could be cocky, empathetic, smart, stupid, whatever he needed to be. And it was pissing the fuck out of Gibbs.

There was something big he was missing and he was tired of guessing. He had been impatient when he met the young detective; curious when Fornell asked him to protect him; and now just downright intolerant as the man continued to stay one step ahead of him. No, this was ending NOW!

"I swore I'd protect you. I promised…"Fornell whispered harshly. "I can't protect you if you won't even tell me who you're going after."

"Remember the day Roy Brickman found me in the alley? The day before I was given that ultimatum? The day before she pieced it all together?" Tony said searching Fornell's eyes.

"Yeah, you were lucky you survived," Fornell nodded.

"Who pieced what together?" Gibbs questioned.

"I'm going after the people who did that to me," Tony said pushing Fornell aside and grabbing for his gun, leaving his badge on the table.

"You told me you didn't remember who did that to you," Fornell scowled. "You can't Tony. I promised him I'd protect you!"

"No, you promised you would protect him. I haven't been him in fifteen years," Tony stated quietly.

"Who'd you promise that you'd protect him?" Gibbs spoke up once more.

"My dad," Tony said turning to face Gibbs.

"I thought you told me his dad messed him up, Fornell? What am I missing?" Gibbs said his gut churning.

"He did," Tony said shaking his head. "But I still have to do this for him."

"Tony, quit thinking with your damn heart and start thinking with your head," Fornell demanded.

"Guess I'm just following in my father's footsteps," Tony sneered.

"I know you want to Tony, but you can't protect him forever," Fornell yelled out to the retreating detective.

Tony stopped mid-stride. He turned and he looked at Gibbs. "I made that choice fifteen years ago…the day you guys showed up at his doorsteps and told him I was dead…"


A/N: It's picking up you guys. Thanks for the reviews. I'm going to start going through them now and responding one by one. By the way a lot of the holes in Biological Catalyst will now start being filled. Thanks for reading.

Nighttime_writer aka Liz