Title: Providence
Summary: AU. Between McGee and Ziva's constant bashing and Gibbs' coldness, Tony finally reaches the point of no return and quits, leaving NCIS and DC behind him. On the road again, he stops by the town of Providence, Missouri, and makes a series of meetings which might change his life, whilst Gibbs moves heaven and earth to find him. But isn't it too late?
Categories: NCIS
Rating: K+
Characters: Tony DiNozzo, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Abby Sciuto, Tim McGee, Ziva David, Dr Donald Mallard, Jimmy Palmer, Leon Vance, Agent Balboa, Original characters (Tillie Hackerman, Harvey Jackson, Father Henry Richmond, Sheriff Elliot Green, Dottie Ferris, Christina Lake, Jake Petersen, Doctor Adam Beltram).
Pairing: Tony/OFC (in the late chapters), no other pairing.
Genres: Alternate universe/friendship/hurt and comfort.
Warnings: Middle swearing, OOC and major team bashing, especially Ziva and McGee.
Spoilers: Set at the beginning of season 6. Spoilers for Dead man talking, Hiatus, Boxed in, Bury your dead, Judgment Day, Agent afloat and various other episodes.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's note: Thanks to the wonderful badly_knitted for making it readable.
As always thank you to those who have reviewed my work or added it to their favorites list and story alerts.
I had to split this chapter in two part due to its length, but I promise that chapter 9 will finally deal with the team and their reactions. Hope you'll enjoy.
To Guest: Thank you. I hope you'll like this chapter.
To nando2k50: Thank you. I'm glad you like her because she will play a leading role in Tony's new life.
To NCIS fan: Thank you. Guess no place is perfect ;D. Providence is indeed a good place to live and I'm glad you like Tillie.
Chapter 7 – First impressions
Providence, Missouri - September 17th – Sunday evening
As he followed Tillie's pick-up towards the outskirts of the town, Tony couldn't help but hope he wasn't about to re-enact James Caan's performance in "Misery". Not that there was anything about the older woman that reminded him so far of the psychotic nurse Anny Wilkes, but he had to admit that the whole situation was rather confusing.
All he had had in mind when stopping by her restaurant, had been to have a bite before carrying on and now he found himself provided with a new job and more than likely a new place to stay. It seemed almost too good to be true or, as Abby would have said, 'definitely hinky'.
More than once he had had to resist the urge to turn round and resume his journey, but aside from the fact that it would have been extremely bad-manners towards someone who had only showed kindness and respect for him, it was also getting late and he could really do with a good night's sleep, as long as it wasn't in the Bates Motel.
Tony wearily rubbed his eyes and focused on the road, mentally mapping his way since they had left the Silver Fox. Exhaustion was competing with wariness inside him and damned if he could tell which one would finally have the upper hand.
It seemed so weird to him to follow so blindly someone he barely knew. With everything that had happened to him during the last few months, no, scratch that, during the last few years, he would have expected to be more cynical and suspicious of his fellows.
However, like the little boy who desperately held on to the hope that one day his father would decide to show him some affection, the man he had become still wanted to keep faith in humanity and believe that the whole universe wasn't aiming at deceiving him. He just hoped he wouldn't have to face another disappointment.
The rear lights of the pick-up lit up and pulled him out of his musing as Tillie slowed down and turned left into a tree-lined street bordered on either side by spick and span houses.
No long after, she pulled in to the sidewalk and Tony did the same. As he turned off the ignition, he quickly scanned his surroundings.
They had reached what looked like a good residential area and stood just in front of a two-story house the façade of which was covered with pale blue shingles whereas the windows and door were painted in bright white. The porch was adorned with a wooden swing-seat and a well-kept lawn planted with rose beds sloped down to the sidewalk. On the right side, a paved path separated the main building from another smaller two-story building serving, in all likelihood, as a garage or a workshop.
Although it had grown dark already, all the lights of the place were off.
"Whose house is it?" asked Tony after they had both got out of their respective cars.
"Mine," Tillie answered in a matter of fact tone.
"You took me to your place?" Tony repeated incredulously, before trying to hide his astonishment behind his usual banter. "Isn't that a bit hasty? People will talk. Don't you think I should ask you out on a date before we get so intimate?"
Tillie giggled.
"In your dreams, handsome."
She pointed her thumb at a sash window situated over the outbuilding's door.
"There's a room upstairs. It was meant to be a sort of master suite for my daughter, Karen, when she comes to visit with the kids, but my son-in-law hates to come here, so most of the time I am the one who visits them in Indiana. It's not very big, but it will do for now."
Tony raised his eyebrows.
"Just like that?"
Tillie rolled her eyes and growled:
"Yeah. Just like that. Is there a problem?"
Tony faltered. He really didn't intend to upset her or to sound ungrateful, but he was still trying to wrap his mind around her uncanny open-handedness.
"I'm sorry. It's just that…" He paused and pressed his lips together, looking for the right words. "We barely met and you already offered me a job and now a roof. I… I'm not a beggar. I don't know what you..."
She raised her hand and cut him off.
"Okay, kiddo. I'm gonna put your mind at ease, right here and now. I don't give handouts. I gave you a job and believe me, you'll have to earn each dollar of your pay check. As for the room, I'll deduct a rent from your wages. Do you still feel like I'm doing my good deed for the day?"
Tony shook his head and chuckled.
"Well, when you put it like that."
Leaning back against the hood of the Camaro, he rested one of his feet on the front bumper and shoved his hands in his pockets.
"Anyway, care to explain to me why you're doing it? The real reason, I mean. Not that lame patter you served me about my experience. Because I'm sure there are a lot of people around here who are more suited to the job than me."
She gave a hint of a smile.
"Maybe just because I like you?"
Tony snorted dejectedly and looked away.
"You can't like me. You don't know anything about me."
Pinching the bridge of her nose, she let out a weary sigh.
"Then call it woman's intuition."
Without giving him a chance to protest, she carried on.
"Now, are you coming to see the room or do we wait until we take root on the sidewalk?"
Tony chewed his lower lip indecisively for a few more seconds as the two of them wordlessly looked into each other eyes, then finally stood up and silently walked around the car to retrieve his suitcase and backpack from the trunk.
As he followed her lead across the lawn, he saw her glancing sideways at his baggage, obviously unfitting for a trip which had been supposed to lead him to Los Angeles.
"You're on the run?" she snickered.
Tony's eyes dropped to the floor.
"I travel light," he mumbled lamely.
"I can see that," she teased him gently.
Using a remote control, she opened the sliding door and they entered a double garage fitted with a large workbench on the right; it reminded Tony of Gibbs' basement, except that all the tools and sawhorses were covered with a thick layer of dust.
"Ever think of settling down?" asked Tillie casually whilst rummaging in her purse on the hunt for her keys.
"I tried," whispered Tony resignedly. "Believe me, I tried."
"Then stop trying. Do it or don't do it."
Tony's eyes widened and a grin blossomed on his lips.
"Are you quoting Yoda?"
She pursed her lips.
"Actually, I was rather thinking of Robin Williams in Dead Again. You know, when he explained to Kenneth Branagh that you don't try to stop smoking. Either you smoke or you don't smoke."
"Yeah," nodded Tony. "I love that film. Movie fan?"
Keys at last in hand, she headed to a flight of wooden stairs on the left.
"Not that much. Branagh was Karen's idol when she was in College and she made me watch his films countless times. She was studying English literature and wanted to become a writer or an expert on Shakespeare at the time." She firmly grabbed the banister and snorted derisively before shaking her head. "For all the good it did."
"What happened?" Tony wanted to know, though he sensed he was skating on thin ice and that Tillie's relationship with her daughter was rather strained.
The older woman let out a heavy sigh and started to climb the creaky steps.
"Bryan Patterson happened." She spat. "That complete moron who's now my son in law."
She glanced to Tony over her shoulder.
"He was one of the assistant professors. Karen and he had an affair and of course, she got pregnant. She convinced herself that he was the love of her life and they get married."
Her words were literally dripping with sarcasm as she went on, punctuating each sentence with a louder than necessary creak from the steps.
"She gave up College and decided to become a perfect housewife. Without any degree or professional skill. Now, she's languishing in the depths of a suburb of Indianapolis, wedged between two ungrateful teenagers and a husband who ignores her most of the time, except when his coffee mug needs a refill. Talk about an achievement."
"She certainly chose to do what seemed the best for her child," offered Tony in a vain attempt to soothe her wrath.
"Bullshit," she grunted, as she reached the landing. "I raised her alone after her father crashed near the Laos border in 1973. I could have done the same with her nipper."
"Your husband was a soldier?"
Tillie's features softened at the mention of her late husband.
"Yep. Chopper pilot in the Marines."
"I'm sorry."
She averted her eyes and shrugged.
"Shit happens."
Although she was trying hard to hide it, Tony could see the undimmed hurt in her eyes.
"Yes, it does," he agreed quietly.
Tillie unlocked the door in front of her and stepped aside.
"And you? What was your subject?"
Tony knitted his brows at her abrupt change of topic.
"Sorry?"
"In College. You said you worked as a bartender when you were in College. What did you study?"
"Oh," he shrugged and scrunched his nose. "I only got a BA in Physical Education."
Tillie tilted her head and gave him a lopsided smile.
"At least you got a degree. That's better than nothing."
"Not everyone's opinion," Tony said bitterly whilst walking into the room.
The place was very simple and soberly furnished. A double bed, flanked by two small nightstands occupied the right half of the room along with a wooden wardrobe. On the opposite side, two naïve watercolors were hung above a low bookcase. A small wooden table and a chair stuck in the corner near the window completed the furniture.
It was decorated in shades of green, from the wallpaper to the matching velvet curtains and bedspread, the dim light of the bedside lamps creating a pleasant old fashioned atmosphere.
On the left, another door opened onto a small en suite bathroom which just like the room was spotlessly clean.
Tillie leant against the doorframe, arms crossed.
"Does it do the trick for you?"
Tony turned around and smiled at her.
"I would be a quibbler if I didn't like it."
She held out the key to him.
"This is the only one, so don't mislay it." She patted his shoulder. "Welcome home, pretty boy."
Tony took the key and stared at it for a few seconds.
"Well... Thank you."
"You're welcome."
She gave him a quick nod and turned towards the staircase. "I'll let you alone. You must need to rest."
She already had her foot on the first step when she stopped and added.
"As for tomorrow, show up at the bar at 7.00. Someone will be there."
With that, she closed the door behind her and left him alone.
As soon as the sound of Tillie's footsteps faded away, Tony plopped down on the bed, all energy suddenly drained out of him.
Taking his head in his hands, he took a deep breath and tried to ease the knot tightening his chest. In spite of Tillie's kind demeanor or maybe because of it, his mind was in a whirl.
It wasn't so often that people took an interest in him without expecting anything in return. In fact, it hadn't happened since Gibbs picked him up from Baltimore. And somewhere along the way, Tony had somehow managed to mess up to the point where his former mentor and friend couldn't even look him in the eyes or speak to him in a civilized way.
But he wouldn't let it happen this time, he swore to himself. Not at any price. This time, he wouldn't delude himself. Come what may, in two months, three at the very most, he swore he would be gone.
To be continued.