Tony had to admit Fornell's offer was tempting. The FBI was similar to NCIS and all federal agencies had the same training. If he took the job he could just go through an abbreviated form of training and have the job in a matter of weeks. He would be doing the exact same thing but in a more stable environment. Fornell had assured that he would for the most part be able to work the hours Tali was in school. There would be days he had to go in at six but Emily was only taking three classes on campus and could mind Tali for a couple hours on those days.
Breaking the news to Jimmy was the hardest part about Tony's decision. Jimmy had been so exited to be working together again. Their houses were walking distances from each other and their daughters went to the same school. It's not like they wouldn't see each other but there was something special about working together. Sharing the same stories and woes. Maybe the woe thing was inaccurate. Jimmy didn't seem to be enduring any abuse.
"So what do you think?" Tony asked.
"Well if the pay is similar and you would be able to work around Tali. I don't see any problem." Jimmy replied.
"You aren't mad?" Tony asked.
"Why would he be mad?" Breena asked as she entered the room.
"Because I am leaving NCIS." Tony replied.
"Tony working with you again has been great. I would not trade the past few weeks for anything but NCIS has become toxic. I am not even sure I want to stay." Jimmy explained.
"You want me to see if Fornell has any positions available for you?" Tony offered.
"He was considering working for my dad." Breena replied.
"Right" Tony sighed.
"Some of the FBI guys are pretty cool." Fornell recalled.
"Except for Slacks who would just eat up the Paraguay thing." Tony sighed.
"Sacks isn't with the FBI anymore." Jimmy replied.
"He's not?" Tony asked.
"No apparently Fornell and him had a huge falling out when Fornell came back from medical leave. Things got close to violent. Sacks claims he quit but rumor is he was fired." Jimmy explained.
Sacks was gone and Jimmy was understanding. Really there was nothing standing in Tony's way. Besides his own fear that is. Sure Sacks was gone and he got along well with the other FBI guys he knew. Nobody he would be working with new the Paraguay story. Still he had his doubts. What if the word spread? What if more people knew than Tobias had let on? What if Sacks had just resigned and came back? It was all too much for Tony to handle.
"What's wrong, Abba?" Tali asked.
"I'm just thinking." Tony replied telling a half truth.
The next step was breaking the news to Vance. Tony's biggest concern with telling the director was that Vance would think he was weak. He worried Vance would see Tony taking the new position as running away from his problems. Then again maybe that's what he was doing. Would he ever consider working for the FBI, if NCIS were not so toxic? Or was this just his way of escaping? The truth is he had no answers. Maybe he just needed a change but maybe he was weak.
"The FBI, huh?" Vance questioned.
"Yes Fornell offered me the job yesterday." Tony replied.
"Well I would definitely miss you but this is a great opportunity." Vance explained.
"You don't think I am running away?" Tony asked.
"Well are you?" Vance questioned.
"I don't know." Tony admitted.
"Running from a bully is not always a sign of weakness. Sometimes it is the only way to preserve your sanity and safety." Vance explained.
"What does that teach, Tali?" Tony asked.
"That you are strong. Some people are not worth the fight." Vance explained.
Tony had approval from Vance but he was still on the fence. There was one person he had not talked it over with and she was probably the most important person. Emily and him were just dating but she had the right to provide input. If they were to get married this would be the man she married. Did she want to marry a man who fought through constant hell at NCIS or a weak man who ran away from all of his problems?
"My only concern is that this Fornell is friends with Gibbs." Emily commented.
"Apparently they are not as close as they once were. Fornell did not know about Paraguay and Gibbs did not even know about his surgery." Tony explained.
"Is Fornell at least professional?" Emily asked.
"More than Gibbs. Not that, that's saying very much." Tony explained.
"As long as you are sure it's not going to be more of the same I say go for it." Emily replied.
"That's what everybody is saying." Tony sighed.
"Then why so many doubts?" Emily asked.
"Because I thought returning to NCIS was the right decision." Tony confessed.
Tony had finally admitted the truth. He was not worried about his friend being angry, his boss finding him weak, his girlfriend not approving. His worry was that he did not have good radar. That any choice he made would in fact be the wrong choice. He could not take any more heart break. This would be one of the hardest decisions he ever had to make. It should be easy but nothing was easy anymore. Not even easy decisions.
"Have you decided anything?" Fornell asked.
"No" Tony replied.
"What's the hold up?" Fornell asked.
"I don't know." Tony replied.
"Want me to try a trick that always worked on Emily?" Fornell asked.
"Can't hurt." Tony sighed.
"Make a decision right now. I cannot help you but if you do not decide in the next five minutes we are leaving and you won't get either toy." Fornell declared.
"What?" Tony laughed.
"Sorry I guess it doesn't always work." Fornell replied.
"I'll do it." Tony announced finally getting the idea.
A/N: Did Tony make the right choice? New chapter will be up soon. Thanks for reading and please review.
