AN – Sorry its taken so long to update – but I wanted to be happy with it. Thanks as always for the reviews. Your comments and encouragement are hugely appreciated. One more chapter after this. Then I have a new story in the works.
The steady beep, beep, beep of the machines and the sharp smell of antiseptic were the first signs Tony had that he was in the Hospital. Again. Although, the meds he could see being pumped into him through his arm must have been pretty good, because he didn't feel a thing.
"Tony? Are you awake?"
And now he was hallucinating.
Blinking, he looked up at the image of Caitlin Todd. With a scowl he rapidly revised his previous assessment of the drugs. Maybe, NCIS insurance didn't stretch to the really good stuff. He should at least have managed to imagine her in something more well, imaginative. Black leather pants maybe, and that wet T-shirt from spring break. The navy blue suit and a copy of "House Beautiful" didn't really cut it.
"I really don't want to know what you are thinking do I?" She sighed. "Only you Dinozzo, could wake up leering from a coma."
"Coma?" He croaked, over a dry throat. "As in "The Dead Zone?" It's suddenly five years later. I'm married to Jessica Alba. Gibbs has finally finished his boat and Tom Cruise is the President?"
"Not that quite long."
She averted her gaze as she moved to fix him some water, aware of his green eyes tracking her every movement. In fact, it had been less than 24 hours. Medically, she wasn't at all sure whether or not that even qualified as a coma. But it was sure as hell long enough for the sight of him lying there so still and quiet to scare her in ways she was reluctant to examine too closely. She had longed for him to wake up. And now that he had she had no idea what she was going to tell him.
"Kate, what are you doing here?"
Damn. Even waking up from unconsciousness he was showing the traits that made him the Senior field Agent. Something about her body language must have given her way. His tone was already suspicious.
"Ducky isn't the only one who can take vacation time." She shrugged lightly. Even to her own ears the excuse sounded false.
"Gibbs threaten you PDA again?" Tony joked weakly, as he shifted slightly on the bed, schooling his expression as the movement obviously jarred.
"Something like that. How are you feeling? I should probably call a doctor." She gabbled, grateful for the distraction as she reached for the call button.
Her hand never made contact, as Tony's fingersclosed around her wrist.
Tony's eyes narrowed at her guilty expression. He was too experienced an investigator not to notice when someone had evaded a question. And the Director would never have approved vacation time at such short notice. Not when he and Gibbs were already out of the office.
Gibbs.
Tony felt a lead weight settle in his stomach. As if he already knew something very important if only he could remember what it was.
"Kate, where's Gibbs?"
"Ducky said you needed your rest." She countered weakly.
His expression said very clearly that he wouldn't even think about resting until he knew what was going on with Gibbs. She looked away and for a moment he thought she might lie to him but when sheturned back to meet his eyesher expression was resigned.
"Gibbs is missing."
"What?"
"Tony, how much do you remember?"
The trouble was, Tony reflected, he really didn't remember anything after his talk with Gibbs in the elevator. If he did he might have been able to put up some kind of a smoke screen to help his boss with whatever it was he was doing. As it was he didn't dare let anything slip, just in case it inadvertently screwed things up.
The fact that Gibbs might be injured or held hostage, relying on what Tony didn't know to help rescue him was something he was trying not to think about.
"So, Agent DiNozzo," The FBI Agent at the end of his bed, pencil poised over his notebook, gave him a sceptical look. "You are claiming you had no contact with Special Agent Gibbs after you left the Hotel."
"I'd just resigned. There was no reason to speak with him."
"You worked with Gibbs for over two years. You were the Senior Field Agent on his team. When I spoke to Agent Fornell in our Washington office he said Gibbs would shoot you himself before he'd let you walk out on him."
"You think Gibbs shot me?"
"You tell me."
Tony took a sharp breath, flinching as the air forced his bruised and cracked ribs in and out. The Doctor had shown him the two neat holes in the bulletproof vest he had been wearing. It might have saved his life but he knew from experience he'd be sore for a few weeks to come.
"Really, I must protest," An unexpected voice came from the doorway. "You were only given permission to question Agent DiNozzo, so long as you did not aggravate his injuries. If you cannot restrain yourself I shall have to ask you to leave."
"Its alright, Ducky," Tony flashed the Physician a weak smile, absurdly glad to see that he hadn't actually left town, before turning his attention back to the question. "Burley worked under Gibbs as Senior Field Agent for almost five years. When he left Gibbs gave him a bottle of Bourbon. Not a bullet."
"Gibbs asked for Burley to be transferred off his team."
"That true, Ducky?" Tony asked softly.
"Gibbs did have a meeting with the Director prior to Mr Burley's transfer," The MD nodded, as he moved to Tony's side placing a hand on his arm in quiet support. "Although exceptionally talented, Jethro felt the young man wasn't quite suited to leading an NCIS team of his own. If I recall he ensured Mr Burley was offered a position he couldn't refuse."
"Yet, because I decided to walk you think Gibbs shot me in a fit of pique?" Tony's raised eyebrow showed how ludicrous he thought the FBI Agent's suggestion. "The man's a Marine. Not an ex-lover."
"Do you deny that Gibbs was often physically and verbally abusive to you in the workplace? According to my sources he was already on suspension pending a complaint made against him."
"Not by me."
"Innocent men don't usually run, Agent DiNozzo," the Federal Agent stepped a little closer, some of his frustration at being continually stonewalled leaking out. "If Special Agent Gibbs has nothing to hide, then where the hell is he?"
Tony closed his eyes briefly. He wished he knew.
Micheal Gambino looked around the modest villa with distaste. Its only real advantage was its isolation. Still, if he was to avoid the attention of the IRS while he established his new identity it was a necessary evil. A little plastic surgery, a new passport and a few discreet transfers from his Swiss bank account and Micheal Gambino would be a force to be reckoned with.
Then he would have his revenge.
Loosening his tie he headed towards the bathroom, shedding his jacket and shoes as he went. Unbuttoning his shirt he leant into the shower stall he turned on the water, adjusting it to a comfortable temperature.
"Out."
The soft command was followed by the sound of cold metal behind his ear. Followed by an unmistakable click. Warily he complied. As soon as he stepped back a hard punch to his right eye knocked his head back. He staggered and would have fallen if two hands hadn't grasped him by the shoulders and pinned him hard against the wall.
"That one was for Tony," The voice hissed. "Now, move."
Herded into the lounge area he was surprised to see a sturdy Queen Anne chair had been set in splendid isolation in front of a small walnut table in the middle of the room.
"Sit."
Once he was seated, his arms were cuffed behind his back. Only then did his assailant, move into his line of vision.
"I trust I have your attention?" Gibbs asked.
"How dare you?" DiNozzo Snr spluttered. "I'll have your badge for this."
"You'd have to press charges first," Gibbs countered. "And I'm guessing a visit to the DA isn't high on your "to do" list right now."
"You bastard."
"You better believe it." Gibbs smiled thinly.
Looking into that intense gaze, for the first time in his life Anthony DiNozzo Snr was truly afraid. He swallowed hard. He had ordered his valet to pack a bag for him. He had told his PA that he would be out of reach for a few weeks. He had left driving his own car and rented this house under an assumed name. No one would know to look for him here. He could try calling out. But there was no one to hear.
When Gibbs reached inside his jacket, a thin acrid smell cut through the air and he knew from the warm wetness that trickled down his leg that he had lost control of his bladder.
"Please, don't kill me." He begged weakly.
Gibbs eyed him with utter contempt, as he withdrew the buff folder and dropped it on the table in front of him. "Get reading."
"How am I supposed to turn the pages?"
"Do I look like I care?" Gibbs growled. "Use your teeth."
An hour later his skin was red and chafed from where the urine had burned tender flesh and the smell in the room was almost unbearable. Across from him, Gibbs sipped at his coffee and watched him, without the least sign of discomfort.
"Am I supposed to be proud?"
"You don't have the right," Gibbs dismissed that. "What Tony has achieved, he's done in spite of you. Not because of you."
"I did everything for him," DiNozzo bristled. "I sent him to the best schools. I ensured he met the right people. He was the one who wanted to throw all that away."
"He was twelve years old," Gibbs hissed. "And you washed your hands of him."
"Is that what this is about, Agent Gibbs?" DiNozzo Snr baited. "You couldn't save your own daughter. So you'll salve your conscience by taking away my son?"
"You lost Tony a long time ago," Gibbs shook his head. "He's too good a man to follow in your low life footsteps."
"Yet he couldn't shoot me," DiNozzo tipped his head on one side. "Not even to save to save your life."
Gibbs kept his own counsel about that. When Tony had staggered unsteadily to his feet to find Gibbs and his father levelling their weapons at each other he had shakily drawn his gun and pointed it in the general direction of his father. Not even Gibbs' barked order to stand down, knowing that the young man would never forgive himself for killing his own father, no matter what the circumstances, had had any effect. The shot had been wide, but Gibbs was convinced that a concussed DiNozzo had just shot one of the versions of his father his brain was seeing right through the head.
After that, Tony had collapsed.
And DiNozzio Snr had run.
In Gibbs' mind there had been no contest. He could track DiNozzo Snr to the ends of the earth if need be. But he would be dammed if he would leave behind one of his own. Only when Tony was safely en route to Hospital, did he feel free to pursue his vendetta. When no one could find him he knew his team would rally around DiNozzo.
Still.
Swiftly making his decision he took the tie backs from the curtains and deftly secured DiNiozzo Snr's feet to the legs of the chair.
"What are you doing?" The man blustered, an edge of fear in his voice.
"You know something?" Gibbs picked up the discarded silk tie. "You talk too much."
"Wait!" His voice held a note of panic. "Are you coming back?"
"I don't know." Gibbs shrugged, as he tied the makeshift gag firmly in place. "Maybe."
As he walked away he ignored the muffled cries that echoed in his wake.
Tony couldn't sleep. His shoulder ached like hell. His side was sore and itchy and his chest felt like a herd of elephants had trampled over him. And his head throbbed so badly he could hardly think. The jumbled images in his mind posed questions he desperately needed to answer. Yet he was afraid to find out the truth.
"Anthony, you must rest. Your body needs it." Ducky admonished gently.
"You think Gibbs would rest if I was in danger?" Tony shot back.
"You know as well as I do, that Jethro would not wish to see you hampering your recovery for his sake."
"Dammed straight." A voice growled in the darkness.
"Boss." Tony tried to sit up.
"Take it easy." Gibbs strode over to the bed and swiftly quelled his movement with a firm hand to his chest.
"Good to see you in one piece, Jethro. I'll be right outside." Mallard discreetly excused himself.
Gibbs looked down at Dinozzo searching his expression for a long moment. "You look like hell."
"The FBI are here," Tony ignored that. "They think you shot me."
"I saw them," Gibbs ignored the hard chair and settled himself on the bed. "You set them straight?"
"I ..um.., " Tony felt himself blush as he fiddled with the blanket. "I mean, I know you didn't shoot me, but I don't think they believed me Boss. I can't exactly remember.. "
"Two concussions in as many days," Gibbs excused him. "I'm surprised you remember your own name."
Tony winced at the reminder of his ancestry.
"Is he dead?"
"Not yet." Gibbs gave him a direct look. "Is that what you want?"
Tony considered that. When he had thought Gibbs' life had been in danger there had been no contest. But when he had believed he had killed his own father he had been disgusted at himself. Did he have any right to ask Gibbs to do his dirty work for him?
"I just don't want him to hurt anyone else."
Gibbs smiled at him. A soft, proud smile that DiNozzo had seen on a mere handful of occasions since he joined NCIS. It was a look that he prized more than any commendation from the Director or any gong he was awarded.
"I'll take care of it. Understood?"
"Yes, Boss." Tony nodded, then winced, closing his eyes tight shut, as he instantly regretted the movement.
A long suffering sigh was followed by the sound of a draw opening and closing, when DiNozzo could finally crack one pained eye open he wasn't remotely surprised to see a beaker of water and a small mound of pills hovering in his vision.
"Don't even think about arguing with me." Gibbs' tone meant business.
"Yessir," Tony meekly took the pills and the water and swallowed them all in one grateful gulp. Letting his head drop wearily against the pillow, he smiled lazily at his mentor.
"You took a hell of a chance. Sneaking pass the FBI."
"Amateurs." Gibbs snorted his opinion of that.
"And you wanted to see how I was," Tony grinned unrepentantly. "Admit it Boss, you were worried about me."
"DiNozzo, you're always a worry," Gibbs softened the words with a slight smile, as he brushed back his hair and laid a hand, cool and strong, briefly against his fevered brow. "Now, get some rest. That's an order."
"You'll be careful? Right?"
"Trust me." Gibbs grinned, his eyes bright and feral in the semi-darkness, before he disappeared into the night.