Chapter nine
Tim McGee sat staring at Tony's empty desk. He still couldn't get it through his head that Tony's own father had done this to him. It definitely explained a lot about some of Tony's actions, and he wondered if some of his often told tales from his childhood were more truth than fiction. His own childhood seemed like a fairytale compared to Tony's and he thanked God for it. His parents had always been supportive of him no matter what and he wondered where he would be today if he'd had parents like Tony's. He hadn't left the office all night, helping Abbey process what evidence they had collected at Tony's apartment. Ziva stayed writing up the report and trying to help in the lab as best she could. They were all worried about Tony, what this might do to him, how he would ever cope.
Dominic DiNozzo and Geno Barelli had been brought to NCIS headquarters at five o'clock this morning, and had been sitting in separate interrogation rooms ever since. It was now eight- thirty, and Tim had begun to wonder if Gibbs was going to leave them there all day. Just then, the elevator dinged, and hurricane Gibbs blew through the bullpen.
"McGee, Ziva, with me." Tim and Ziva jumped to attention, and ran to catch up with their boss.
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Five-thirty a.m Dinozo's apartment
"They're in custody Tony." I looked up to find Gibbs standing in the doorway of my bedroom. I guess I still looked pretty bad, because it was as if he were hesitating there, not sure whether to come closer or not.
"Come here." I said patting the bed next to me. He sat down taking my injured wrist in his, bringing it to his lips and gently placing a kiss there.
"You sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine Jethro, it's just…"I turned away unable to look at this man who had shown me more love in the last 48 hours than anyone had in my entire lifetime.
"Hey, look at me. What is it?" He turned my chin to face him, and I knew tears were in my eyes, I felt like such a baby.
"He's my father Gibbs, my father, how could he do this to me? I knew he hated me, but try and kill me? Am I that horrible that he can't even allow me to exiest?"
"Hey, cut it out this is your Dad's problem, not yours, if anyone's horrible, it's him. He beat the crap out of you with a baseball bat Tony when you were seventeen, and now this. Don't give that son of a bitch one more ounce of power over you." Tears were free flowing by now, and no end in sight.
"Look at me." I said wiping my eyes. "I'm an idiot
"You, are the best man I know Tony, and whatever happens, you belong to me. Mine." He said placing his hand over my heart. "I swear to you I'll always be here, however you want me, I'll be here. I refuse to let you feel like any of this is your fault; you're not an idiot, just a little bit of a girl." He winked at me, and my mouth dropped open.
"I am so not a girl." I said crossing my arms and mock pouting.
"Whatever you say dear." he said leaning over and giving me a peck on the cheek.
"Thanks Gibbs." I said barely above a whisper. His face was inches from mine.
"No need to thank me Tony, I told you I protect what's mine." He closed the distance, and placed a soft kiss on my lips, just a tease really, hopefully of something more to come. "Now I've got to get to work, and you need to rest."
"I wanna be there Gibbs, when you question him, I want to be there." I had already started throwing the covers back and trying to get up, but Gibbs was faster.
"Absolutely not DiNozzo you are going to lay right back in this bed and rest. I'll come back by after work, and take you home."
"But Gibbs…" then it hit me, he'd take me home. His home.
"What are you saying Gibbs?" I asked lying back in the bed.
"Oh come on Tony you know I'm no good at this." His face had actually turned a shade of pink I had never seen before. "I want you with me, I'm tired of wasting time, you know… I want you to live with me." His face was now a definite shade of red.
"Okay."
"That's it?" he asked.
"I know where I belong now, and it's with you."
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Interrogation room 1 eight-thirty a.m.
"Finally! Agent Gibbs, what is the meaning of all this?" Dominic DiNozzo rose to his feet. "I want an explanation, I have been here since five-thirty, and I demand to know why." Gibbs took a seat, and proceeded to go through the file in his hands ignoring the man in front of him.
"Did you hear me Agent Gibbs I want to know what's going on?" He finished by slamming his hand down on the desk, and overturning Gibbs freshly brewed coffee in the process. As fast as Ziva, maybe faster Gibbs reached out turning Dominic DiNozzo's wrist to the side and putting pressure on one particular point causing the man to howl in pain.
"You've already tried to kill one federal officer today, don't give me a reason." He's voice was deadly, barely above a growl. DiNozzo senior didn't question what he planned on doing if he gave him a reason; he had seen that look before in men's eyes, hell he'd given it before. He took a seat and stared a hole through the man in front of him. He said he had tried to kill a federal agent, so apparently Tony wasn't dead. Damn, this was all he needed.
Tim and Ziva watched intently from the other side of the two way mirror.
The mans outburst had taken them by surprise, but Gibbs had handled it like the marine he was.
"Suddenly the door opened to the interrogation room, and in walked the younger DiNozzo.
"What I miss?"
"Tony, what are you doing here, you are not well, you should be in bed." Ziva said coming over putting a hand on his arm.
"That an invite Zee Vaah." he said drawing her name out the way she hated it.
"You are impossible." She said rolling her eyes.
"Ziva's right Tony, does Gibbs know you're here?"
"What Gibbs doesn't know won't hurt him." Tony said gazing into the room where his father was being held.
"I just don't want him hurting me." Tim said.
"Don't worry probster, I'll cover you." I knew Gibbs didn't want me here, but I felt I had to be here. I needed closure or something, I don't know, I just knew I had to be here, to see him break. I wanted to see Gibbs break my father.
Gibbbs finally stopped thumbing through the file he had been looking at for the last twenty minutes and stared at the man in front of him.
"Mr. DiNozzo, can you tell me where you were between the hours of ten and one this morning?"
"Of course, I was home in bed; you can verify that with my security people, there on site twenty-four hours, is that all?"
"That's funny, because we managed to pull some finger prints and DNA from your son Tony's apartment this morning, after he was almost killed."
"Well agent Gibbs, he is my son after all, my prints would be there. As far as DNA goes, that could have gotten there during one of my many visits." Gibbs jaw suddenly tightened.
"I thought that's the way you would play this, so I had a little chat with your friend Mister Barelli, and he seems to remember things a little differently." Gibbs said giving him his patented stare.
"Just what exactly am I supposed to have done Agent Gibbs?" Senior asked leaning forward in his chair.
I was spellbound watching through the glass. Gibbs just stared right back, but I knew it was taking every bit of his self-control not to reach across the table and strangle my father. I felt a hand resting on my arm and looked over to see Tim standing at my side.
"Maybe you should leave Tony, you know maybe rest, Gibbs can take care of this and let you know. This is too much to take Tony, even for you."
"I've taken this for thirty- eight years Tim, a few more minutes isn't gonna kill me, besides I got Gibbs six." He looked me in the eye, and dropped his hand.
"I'm here for you Tony, anything you need just let me know."
"As am I." Ziva said coming to stand next to Tim.
"Thanks guys, but I'm gonna be fine." I looked back into the room and my heart leapt. My father stood looking at Gibbs a gun in his hand.
"Probie give me your weapon." My voice was cold as steel, and Tim didn't hesitate handing over his service weapon.
"Tony.."
"Stand down Officer David I need to do this." understanding flashed in her eyes.
"We will be right behind you Tony, you take lead."
We left the observation room as quietly as we could, and stood outside the door of interrogation. I motioned for Tim and Ziva to stay outside in case I needed backup. I eased open the door and stepped into hell.
"Father." His eyes and weapon swung towards me.
"You!" He shouted. His eyes had taken on a wild look, like a caged animal.
"It's me you want." I said showing him my empty hands. I had tucked McGee's weapon in my back waistband.
"You little bastard, why can't you just die." He edged towards me, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Gibbs reach for his weapon.
"This is between you and me." I said backing up towards the door reaching backwards as if for the door knob, I fingered the butt of the glock. "Let's finish this, just you and me."
"Oh it's going to be finished, right now." he pulled back on the trigger of the tiny pistol, at the same time I drew my weapon Gibbs yelled.
"Tony!" My father turned and fired. It was as if everything had gone into slow motion Gibbs fell to the ground. Tim and Ziva burst in, and as my father turned to me Gibbs blood sprayed across his face I fired and the crazed look died from his face.
I ran to Gibbs my heart coming out of my chest.
"Gibbs." I said shaking him gently. Blood was everywhere, and I searched for the wound. I heard Ziva and Tim in the background calling for a medical team. "Jethro." I whispered. "Please don't leave me, not now, please." I finally found the wound deep in his shoulder, so close to his chest I lost my breath. Then Ducky was there pulling me away so the medical team could get to Gibbs. I could hear him, but I was numb. What had just happened? He led me past my father slumped in the floor eyes staring up lifelessly at me, past Tim and Ziva busy trying to coordinate the scene, past the other interrogation room that housed Geno, through the halls of NCIS and finally down to his car, placing me in the front seat even going so far as to strap the seatbelt on me.
"Anthony, they will take Jethro to Bethesda." He said getting in the old Morgan and strapping himself in.
"What just happened Ducky?" "What did I do?"
"What you had to Anthony, what you had to do." He patted my leg, started the car, and we were off.
Author's note: Maybe one or two chapters left. I hope everyone has liked this so far, please, please don't forget to review.