Part 21

Tony woke to a small band playing in his head. He was so glad Finlay hadn't let him drink any more last night. He looked over at the bedside cabinet to a glass of water and two painkillers. He drank the water quickly and went to the small sink in his bathroom and filled it up again. He swallowed the tablets and sat on his bed. He got up and dressed for breakfast. He remembered that his grandfather had said he could drive one of his cars. He doubted his dad would let him with a hangover.

Everyone was at the table when he came down. "Late night?" Jack asked.

"Not too late. Did a lot of dancing."

"Didn't think that gave you a sore head?" Jack said smiling.

"I had a few drinks."

"Whiskey will do that for you," Ducky said. "I remember..." and he told them a story about a night out in Edinburgh when he was a student.

"Think we better leave the car until later," Michael said.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"It's alright Tony, the car will be there tomorrow."

Tony looked at Gibbs, he had a frown on his face,"You're not mad are you?"

"No son. I have something I need to tell you if you'll come into the library after you've eaten."

"Sure."

Michael followed Gibbs into the library," Is this something I need to know?"

"No. I need to tell Tony something."

Tony came into the room and sat on the sofa. "I can't think of anything I've done wrong," he said trying to lighten the mood.

Gibbs sat on the chair in front of him. "I only found this out for sure yesterday Tony. Please don't think I've been hiding it from you."

"You're not ill are you? Please tell me .."

"No. I'm okay. I'm your father." There it was out.

Tony laughed, "Of course you're my father. You adopted me." He looked at Gibbs a puzzled look on his face.

"No Tony. I mean I am your biological father." He saw the confused look on Tony's face turn to one of anger.

"You're what?"

"I had Abby do a DNA test. I got the results yesterday. I'm your father."

"You can't be. You didn't know my mother." Gibbs made to touch Tony but he pulled back from him. "Don't touch me!" Then he said,"How?"

"It was when I saw the picture of your mother. I realised that I knew her."

Tony was so angry he wanted to hit something. "How could you not know, if you were f***ing her, you must have known her name."

"It wasn't like that."

"So you make a habit of f***ing women you don't know."

"That's enough."

"Enough! I haven't even started. YOU BASTARD!" He flew at Gibbs punching him so hard he knocked him over. Gibbs quickly got to his feet. The door opened and Jack, Ducky and Michael came in. "Get out!" Tony shouted.

"Jethro are you alright?"

"Yes dad. I'll explain later. Please give us some time." Gibbs faced Tony, blood trickling down his chin.

"I hate you," Tony shouted at him. Gibbs took a step towards him. "Don't come near me." Tony was shaking with anger.

"Will you let me explain?"

"I remember my classes in biology, Gibbs. I think I know what happened. Hope she was worth it."

"It was just the once...,"Gibbs tried to explain.

"Couldn't have been too good then."

"Don't speak about her like that."

"Think DiNozzo was right about her, she was a w****."

Gibbs lifted his hand and smacked Tony across the face. "Don't you ever speak about your mother like that." Tony looked as if he had been shot.

"I want nothing to do with you. You're as bad as him." Tony turned and ran.

He pushed past Ducky, Jack and Michael and ran out the door towards the stables. He didn't even bother with a saddle, he just jumped onto Raven and rode off. Gibbs ran out after him and was nearly knocked over by the horse.

"I'll go after him," Finlay said. He grabbed the horse he'd been about to ride and took off after Tony.

"What the hell happened here?" Michael asked.

Ducky put his hand up to touch Gibbs' face. "Best get some ice on it."

They walked inside to the library. "Jethro what the hell happened son?" Jack asked.

"I got some news yesterday from Abby. I'd asked her to do a DNA test on Tony."

"Why? You knew he wasn't DiNozzo's."

"No I had her compare it with mine."

"Yours?" Michael said. "How could he be yours?"

"Jethro?" Jack said.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you dad but I thought Tony should know first."

"I don't understand," Michael said. "How could you not know he was your son?"

"I only met his mother once. We were in a bar in New York. I was on leave. Shannon and I had had a huge row about the wedding and she had gone home to her mother's saying we were finished. She said she never wanted to see me again. I went out and got drunk. I met Sophie, that's what she said her name was, in a bar. She was crying, she'd had a row with her boyfriend and he'd hit her. We sat and talked for ages and then we spent the night together. I didn't know she was Tony's mother, I had no idea." Ducky came in and handed him some ice wrapped in a towel. "If I'd known about him I would have found him and kept him. God dad this is all my fault."

Jack sat beside him and put an arm round him. "No it isn't. You didn't know."

"He went through hell dad. And I could have saved him from that."

"Are you telling me that if you'd known about him you'd have left him there?"

"No, of course I wouldn't."

"If she'd wanted you to know she would have told you the truth. She told you a false name and a lie about her boyfriend. Did you tell her your name?"

"Yes."

"Then she could have found you. She didn't."

"What a bloody mess. He hates me."

"Jethro," Ducky said. "Tony loves you. He's hurt just now but he'll come back and he'll talk to you. He's a clever boy, he knows you wouldn't lie to him."

"I hope you're right. I can't lose him."

Meanwhile Tony had ridden to the old castle. He flung himself off the horse and to the ground. Tears flowed down his cheeks. The one man he trusted more than anyone else had let him down. He sat up and pulled his legs to his chest. He heard a horse behind him. Without turning around he shouted, "Leave me alone, I don't want to talk to anyone."

"It's just me," Finlay said. "I'll just sit here." He handed Tony a handkerchief. "Want to tell me what's wrong?"

"No."

"Okay."

Tony wiped at his eyes. "He lied to me."

"Who?"

"My... Gibbs."

"What did he lie about?"

"He's my real father. I..." Finlay could see it was too much for Tony and he sat beside him and put an arm around his shoulder. "Why didn't he tell me? Why lie?"

"What did he say?"

He said it was just the once."

"Maybe it was," Finlay said. "Haven't you had a one night stand?"

"Yes but... he's old." Finlay almost laughed.

"He's not that old and it was 28 years ago. Did you let him explain? Your d.." he felt Tony flinch," Gibbs does not seem like a man who would lie."

"But I could have..." he started to cry again. Finlay held him.

"Very touching," a voice said from behind them. "You've made this so easy for me." They both turned round. A man holding a gun was standing watching them. "Don't move."

"Who are you?" Finlay asked.

"Move," the man said. He pointed towards the dungeon. Neither of them had noticed that the entrance was open.

"No," Finlay said.

"I can just shoot you here and dump you down there. Not as much fun though. Now who will I shoot first?"

"We'll go," Tony said. They moved to the entrance. "Go down." They went down the steps, the man behind them. "Along there," he said pointing along the corridor. He pushed them into one of the cells and tied it with a padlock. Then he started to move off.

"Wait," Tony shouted, "at least leave us a light."

"You won't need one."

They heard him go up the steps and slam the grid shut. They heard the key shut the padlock. Their eyes adjusted to the darkness. "Who the hell is he?" Tony asked.

"I have no idea," Finlay said. Why do you think he wants us?"

"Kidnapping," Tony said. "Michael will pay a lot of money for us."

"I hope so," Finlay said shivering.

TBC