Title: Daddy's Little Girl

Summary: Daddy DiNozzo! "Boss…Gibbs…I don't think I'm cut out for this." Tony is thrust into a world he didn't think he was ready for…Fatherhood.

Second Summary: Tony DiNozzo had never thought of having kids until he was good and ready. That was until Jeanne Benoit arrived on his doorstep, 15 months after they slept together and handed him a baby. A baby girl who was 4 months old, with a shock of brown hair and startling green eyes. She was tiny and Tony felt the need to protect her from everything. Her sarcasm and wit grows as she does and endears her to Uncle Tim, Aunty Abby, Aunty Ellie, Uncle Jimmy and Grandpa Ducky and, a very much enamored, Uncle Jet.

Disclaimer: I only own Allison.

A/N: This is set in Season 5, Tony and Jeanne end their relationship after his car blows up and then 13 months later, she's turns up with Allison. Now I do not, did not like Jeanne at all. So, in this Tony never truly loved her. She was just an assignment. Also, for all those who noted the absence of Ziva in all those Uncles and Aunties – Allison doesn't see her as Aunty Ziva.


A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD TO BE THE STANDARD AGAINST WHICH SHE WILL JUDGE ALL MEN


January 2007

"I love you, Jeanne." Tony said after staring at her for a moment. She stepped into his arms pulled him into a passionate kiss. Although they slept together that night, he didn't love her. Now, Jeanne was a very smart and attractive woman. But that night, he was giving into the most primal need of humans. Physical pleasure. Sex. He wanted to call it making love, but he knew that it was just sex. There could be nothing between them but lust and pure, animalistic sex. Due to Jeanne being so attractive he could perform, but it still wasn't love.

The heat in the room was making them sweat, but it wasn't just the heat in the room to fight the encroaching cold. It was also the moans and sighs, his fingers in her long brown hair and her nails scratching his back. Tony knew this moment, right here while he could watch her come to completion beneath him and he fought to hold out a little longer, was where he could forget that he didn't love Jeanne, he could forget that even if he was 2 years older than her and she was perfectly able to bear children…he didn't love her.


Saturday, January 26th 2008

It had taken him all of 4 hours to get used to the bassinette that sat in front of him. He had pulled out the paperwork that Jeanne had thrust into his chest after putting the bassinette down along with a duffel bag and a diaper bag. Tony had been a slightly stunned and now…now he was kind of used to it and excited by the idea actually. This would be an adventure. He looked down at the birth certificate again.

Child's Family name: DiNozzo

Child Given Name(s): Allison

Date of birth: September 26th 2007

Place of birth: Mercy General Hospital

Time of Birth: 6:46pm

Mother's Family name: Benoit

Mother's given name(s): Jeanne Stephanie

Date of Birth: March 10th 1972

Father's Family name: DiNozzo Jr.

Father Given Names(s): Anthony Dominic

Date of Birth: July 8th 1970

Midwife: Stephanie Roberts

Attending Doctor: Dr Sarah Cartwright

So, four months old. That made thing a little easier, he Googled a lot of information about children. At 3 months they started to sleep 5-8 hours a night, that made it all the easier for him. By 4 they could hold their head up by themselves, 6 they could sit up with support and by 9 they could sit up without support. By 12 months they could walk and talk and but 8 months they could stand on their own. This was going to make his life a lot easier. But even after working it all out there was still Jeanne's letter to him. It had hurt him deeply.

Tony,

This is Allison. You can give her a second name if you wish and get her baptized but it's up to you. She is yours and I find it hard to look at her because she looks so much like you. I know that is an excuse and that it's not a good one. She was conceived on the last night we slept together. Before your lies were exposed. Now, a child is a gift – but Allison is a gift I did not want to have. You left me with her and I knew that although you said that the 'important things' were not lies, I did not know what to believe, all I knew was that I couldn't keep Allison when she was half yours.

I didn't name her – the midwife did. I didn't look after her, a friend of mine did until she was old enough to be left with you. I have only seen her when she was born and today when I leave her with you. She has your eyes; I think she will look just like you. You can teach her all about movies – unless that was also a lie.

It's now time for you to grow up, Tony. This is your new role. You play a role well – although this character might be a bit more difficult for you. You can't lie your way through this one. Welcome to your new role Tony – as 'Dad'. Fatherhood may just suit you Tony, you never know. All I ask is that you take care of her – thinking of someone other than yourself might be a culture shock to you.

I did fall for you once Tony. You were charming and funny. I really did love you, and I hope when you said it you meant it as well. It might come as a shock to you and your boss, but my father told me that I shouldn't be angry at Anthony DiNozzo, because he was the one, I fell in love with, not Tony DiNardo. He was a character – but don't they say that we create an identity that is a reflection of ourselves? There's always part of us in them? Well, you did play that part exceptionally well. I liked Tony DiNardo…but you know as well as I do that by the end Anthony DiNozzo was starting to come out. Your natural need to protect me was there in the hospital with the drug dealers- do you remember? You fired that gun like you had done it several times before and I knew that you couldn't learnt that just from watching James Bond movies.

Welcome to Fatherhood, Tony. Play this role as well as you did, Tony DiNardo and it will be a performance worthy of an Oscar. Congratulations, Tony – I can give you something to remember me by.

Good luck,

Jeanne

Rereading the part about Allison's second name he had a few ideas but it had to work with her names already given. He chewed on his bottom lip as he thought about it. He smiled to himself as he grabbed a black pen and pulling the page close to him on the coffee table, he wrote her middle name down. A name that he knew would bring together his first true love and the love of his life.

Child's Given Name(s): Allison Kate


The good thing about Allison is that since she was 4 months old, she had started to sleep for 5-8 hours at night. So at least Tony got a fair amount of sleep before she woke him up in the morning crying. He groaned and almost wished he'd taken that Child Development class in High School. But this child didn't have a plastic key you could stick in her back and turn until she stopped crying. He stumbled into his guest room where his newly acquired daughter lay crying in her cot. He reached in carefully and lifted her out.

"Come on, Ally. Daddy's here now." He cradled her to his shoulder and he did the quick diaper check, she was dry, so he didn't have to that first thing. His stomach rumbled so he assumed she must be hungry also. He walked with her out to the kitchen where he had prepared several bottles for her. As he warmed one in the microwave had sang softly to her. Frank Sinatra.

"Somewhere, over the rainbow, way up high, there's a land that I heard of, once in lullaby. Somewhere, over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream, really do come true." The microwave beeped off and although the song had very nearly made her drift off again, the infant happily sucked on the bottle.

After Jeanne had left Allison with him, he had turned into a man that was aware of someone other than himself. Fiona had set him a challenge by telling him that Allison would force him to grow up. He had grown up slightly but he was still able to be a 'child' if he wanted to. While Allison slept, he would still watch Magnum P.I. quietly. He was cooking a lot more; his freezer was full of meals that he reheated when he was hungry. Allison was allergic to nuts and fish. Most of Tony's dishes were Italian meals and lots of them didn't have nuts or fish in them. Only one did but he'd make sure he never gave her that. He found an epi pen in her bag along with two others. He'd have to get Ducky to make sure he knew what he was doing.

Allison finished the bottle and Tony watching as when he moved her in his arms, she let out a little burp, he chuckled and kissed her cheek softly. She was already the love of his life – it may have taken him a week or more but he had fallen deeply and irrevocably in love with 'Ally'. And he would not have her any other way than how she was right this second.

"Oh honey…don't you ever grow up." He whispered pressing the kiss to her cheek turning it into a raspberry that made her squeal with laughter.

Now it was time for a shower. He put her down with some of her toys in his room so she could hear him, he showered and shaved quickly then after getting dressed in a pair of sweats and an old t-shirt, he bathed Allison. When he dressed her, he realized that he would need to buy her more clothes and diapers, baby wiped everything he needs. It was decided, he changed into jeans and cleaner t-shirt and set out with Allison to get some supplies. It was time to become 'Daddy'.


Sunday, February 24th 2008

Over the course of the following month Tony made a few changes to his life. He moved into a small two-story house in Alexandria. Close to Gibbs but not too close. Close enough that if Tony needed help it could be given but not so close that Gibbs would hear Allison screaming at her father, not wanting to go to bed, not wanting a bath. All the things kids got snotty about. But the only people he told of his change of address was HR, he didn't even tell Abby. He didn't need his team to know just yet, he was hoping he could introduce her to them all at once. So, no one got angry at him for missing or forgetting to introduce her to them (namely Abby).

Tony discovered a lot about Allison over the next month, however. She was a bubbly and happy child, and he got her smiling and giggling for him whenever he spoke to her or pulled faces at her. She had a bubbly personality and it showed whenever they 'played' together. He'd sit and read aloud to her, even if she didn't understand the words completely, she loved to listen to his voice and Tony's voice would lull her to sleep at night and make her relax completely. He discovered that if he was in the room with her, she needed to be able to see him or she'd get upset. Hearing but not seeing seemed like separation anxiety. He was a little concerned, but he could cross that bridge when he came to it. He began to differentiate between her cries. The hungry one, the dirty diapers one, the 'I'm uncomfortable' one, the 'I'm tired' one and the 'I just need a hug' cry. That one was possibly his favorite to hear, but the whimpers she let out when she couldn't see him but could hear him were the one that tore at his heart – he hated knowing that he was upsetting her. So, he made sure she could always see him.

He also had to decide when and how to tell the rest of the team. He just hoped they'd be ok with it. Allison was a huge part of his life and he desperately wanted the team to accept her. He had a feeling there would be no problem with Abby and Ducky liking her. They loved kids. He was sure that Gibbs would get along with her as well – he'd had a daughter so he would know how to help Tony if he had any problems. And Tony guessed that he would have lots of problems. He was first time father after all, and it was a sudden change too. It wasn't like he had 9 months to prepare for this, he'd had no idea. Most of the time, he supposed, that many fathers thought they weren't ready for parenthood, but had to adapt their lives to be able to accommodate their child. Most fathers would be able to do that. He had managed it, by sitting down one evening and thinking. But also, by calling one of his frat brothers – Steve – to see if he could offer any suggestions. Steve has two kids of his own and Tony had explained briefly about Jeanne and Allison. Steve was the one who suggested and found the house for Tony. And had offered to help buy it, but Tony had delved into the trust his mother had left him and was able to purchase the house – with change left over. Enough to do up a room for Allison. A nursery that could be changed into a little girl's room.

He spent one afternoon while Allison was napping beside him on the couch to look through her clothes and toys. In all honesty she didn't have a whole lot. One duffle for clothes and toys. Jeanne hadn't brought a lot…was this everything? A growing child needed a lot more than this! Tony set aside a whole day, he got up early and got Allison ready, before they headed out to Purple Goose in Del Rey and then onto The Growing Years in Kensington. He was able to buy up a lot more clothes and toys for her, and then while at The Growing Years, got a high chair and change table. He hadn't been able to find a crib he liked for her, even though he knew in a few years he'd have to buy a toddler bed and he'd enlist Abby and Gibbs' help with that. With any luck he wouldn't have to buy one, Gibbs might make one for her.

The biggest problem was when he would try to put her down for a nap, he had to lie down with her – because she refused to be without him. He wasn't used to having someone be so dependent on him, it was foreign to him. He had been forced to grow up quickly from the age of 8 after his mother died – so with this little girl depending on him to cook for her, the clean up after her, to give the affection she craved it was all foreign and unfamiliar – but it wasn't entirely unwelcome or uncomfortable.

"I don't think I'll ever have the kind of love from my father as you have from yours, Ally. I'll never love anyone else as much as I love you," Tony whispered, "You are the absolute love of my life, Ally. My little girl. My daughter." She gazed at him and have him her best (mostly) gummy smile. When he looked down at her with that smile, he felt a surge of a feeling he'd never felt before. Giving it or receiving it, though when he started working with Gibbs, he found three people who actually valued him. Gibbs, Abby and Ducky, and now he had that same responsibility to Allison. Looking down at her with a goofy smile on his face, he knew he was feeling love. A love so unconditional, so limitless, so unending that it would always tie them together.


Monday, February 25th 2008

0930hrs

When Tony woke next it was to his phone ringing. Reaching out he realized that his days off finished yesterday he groaned – this couldn't be a good thing. And when he saw 'Gibbs' on his caller I.D. he knew this wasn't going to be a nice conversation.

"DiNozzo." He answered.

"You did plan on joining us today, DiNozzo?" Gibbs' voice asked.

"I'm on my way in Boss. I'll be there in 20." Tony said as he pulled himself out of bed and headed to his bathroom.

"You'd better be." His boss hung up, Tony was used to Gibbs' phone etiquette snapped his own phone closed and after a one-minute shower, 30 second shave and one minute brush of his teeth, he was almost ready. He slipped his gun into his backpack, his badge into his belt.

"Well now it's time for all your stuff, hey, Ally?" Tony said as he set the bassinette so she could still see him. She fussed when he was out of sight, particularly if she could hear him.

He grabbed Allison's diaper bag and packed it with 4 bottles full of formula, plus extra in case, her pacifier was in her mouth already as he pulled faces at her while he made sure he had everything. He packed an epi pen in her bag and one in his for a spare. He'd make sure he got another two making it five. Make sure her kindergarten would have one – he'd have one in his desk, she'd have one, one at home and one with her best friend. Someone she trusted beyond all else.

He pulled into the bakery and ordered not just for him but for the others as well. One Hazelnut Latte, one strong hot black coffee, a jasmine tea and one latte white with two. He also got breakfast pastries for everyone.

"I'm here! I'm here!" Tony said as he hurried to the desk forty minutes later, "Sorry, Boss. Had to get this little mite ready too." Tony said setting the bassinette and the two bags down by his desk. Gibbs got to his feet to look down at the tiny little girl, who was just waking up from her nap.

"And who is the 'little mite' Tony?" He asked, dropping to one knee so as to not scare the child too much.

"Allison. Allison Kate DiNozzo." Tony said lifting her up as she started to fuss when she heard his voice but couldn't turn her head to see him.

"Nice name, pretty." Gibbs said standing again. Ziva and Tim looked up and both had to smile softly at the sight of Tony nursing a tiny child. A tiny child who was looking around from where her father held her on his hip. They saw Tony change from the professional yet at times unfocused Special Agent, into a figure they hadn't seen from him: Daddy.

"Who's the mother, Tony? And why do you have her?" Ziva asked, "another one-night stand?" this was said with a bite of venom.

"Jeanne. Didn't want her. Says she looks too much like me. She's got my eyes." Tony explained. Allison's eyes were drinking in everything, from the three faces she could see to the orange walls, and skylight, to all the other agents milling around doing paperwork.

"I bet when she smiles it's your face as well. All teeth and DiNozzo all the way." Gibbs said.

"She already smiles Boss; you just have to make sure she can see your smile as well. See?" Tony turned his little girl to face him and pulled a face at her, she giggled and smiled as he pulled the funniest faces he could. Gibbs had to laugh when Allison started to giggle.

"Beautiful. Looks just like you when she smiles, Tony." Tim said.

"Yeah, that's right, McUncle, she's a knockout. I'll be reminding the boys she dates that I carry a gun – and so do her Uncles and Aunties. Though Abby doesn't…fairly sure that she's scary enough without one." Tony laughed.

"Well…she's a beauty DiNozzo. Take good care of her." Gibbs said.

"Thanks, Boss. Can I take her down to meet Abby and Ducky?" Tony asked.

"I'll call down to Abby and tell her to turn her music right down. Sensitive ears on the way." He said with a smile as he watched Allison turn into her father's chest and fall asleep.


It was slightly eerie walking into Abby's lab to no music. Tony stepped inside to see Abby nearly vibrating with excitement to meet the tiny creature.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god! Tony! She's sooooo cute!" Abby said leaning over Tony's arms to look down at the child, who hadn't quite fallen to sleep and woke at the new voice. Allison immediately reached out and wrapped her fingers in one of Abby's pigtails.

"Uh, Ally. No." Tony gently untangled his daughter fingers, allowing the child to grasp hold of his finger.

"She is adorable! And she looks just like you!" Abby gushed, "Does she smile yet?" Tony grinned before pulling a face at Allison, who promptly broke into more giggles and smiling. Abby cheered and gushed about how she had a 'DiNozzo Dazzler'.

"Yeah, she's a knockout. I'm gonna buy a baseball bat and remind all her boyfriends…that me, Uncle Tim, Ziva and Uncle Jet – all carry guns." Abby laughed, "And that her Aunty Abby," Tony continued, "can kill someone and not leave any evidence."

"That's right. In several different ways too." She smiled. Allison was gazing around at everything in the lab. Drinking in all the new sights and sounds in the lab.

"I'd better take this little tyke down to see Ducky. I think he will find her," Here Tony paused, "simply charming." He said in a put-on English accent.


Autopsy was quiet, like he expected it to be anything else besides. Still Tony poked his head in to be sure there were no cadavers in sight.

"Ah, Anthony! To what do I owe the pleasure? And who is this delightful young thing?" Ducky said, cheerfully. Tony was always amused that Ducky always called him by his full name even if he pronounced it 'Antony' as if it was the traditional English version, as opposed to the Italian.

"Hiya, Duck. This is Allison Kate DiNozzo, my 5-month-old daughter." Tony said, producing his daughter the older man to see.

"She's still awfully young…why is she not with her mother?" Ducky asked.

"Her mother doesn't want her Ducky. Says she looks too much like me." Tony said with a sad smile.

"She does look an awful lot like you, Anthony." Ducky said.

"Yeah. A knockout." Tony said, then he chewed his lip as if searching for the next words he needed.

"Something on your mind, My Dear boy?" Ducky asked.

"Well… it may seem a bit weird but do you think Gibbs would say yes if I asked him to be Ally's Godfather? I already plan on asking Abby to be godmother…she'll love that." Tony mused.

"I have every faith, Anthony; that Jethro would love to be that little angel's godfather." Ducky replied.

"I might have to remind him, The Godfather, 1972, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino and a young Diane Keaton." Tony said.

"Perhaps…skip the movie analogy, Anthony." Tony gave him a grin and made his way towards the doors pausing as they opened, he turned back to the Medical Examiner.

"You do realise, Duck…you're the only man in the world – that always calls me Anthony." Tony grinned at him then stepped out and back into the elevator, to return to the bull pen.


"Hey, Boss. Can I ask you something? It's kind of important." Tony asked once he returned to the bullpen from Autopsy, Allison snuggled into his chest – sensing his warmth.

"What's on your mind, Tony?" Jethro asked.

"Well, I already asked Abby and she's beyond excited but um…I was wondering if…you'd be Ally's Godfather?" Tony asked, shyly. Allison tugging on his hair, his hair was slightly longer than he usually had it, so she could twist her fingers in the strands.

"Godfather?" Jethro asked, he'd never been asked that by anyone before. Not by friends or family – Fornell said he would have asked him to be Emily's godfather but Diane had vetoed that idea very quickly.

"Yeah, you know anything happens to me, you and Abbs makes sure that Ally grows up loved and well looked after?" Tony explained.

"I know what a Godfather does, DiNozzo. I'm just surprised it's me and not McGee or Palmer." Jethro said, "They are your friends, aren't they?"

"Yeah, but I thought of you first. I mean, you're kind of like the 'Dad' of our little family so I thought you'd like to be." Tony told him.

"Sure. She's already got you wrapped around her finger, doesn't she? What's one more sucker?" Jethro chuckled.

"Thanks Boss. I'll let you know when the christening is." Tony said.

"No problem, just tell me where to be and when." Jethro said.

"Deal. You want to hold her?" Tony asked holding, Allison towards Jethro, "I'm sure you know how to hold a baby, Gibbs." He said.

"How old is she again?" Jethro asked.

"5 months. She has just started holding her head up on her own." Tony said.

"Hand her over." Jethro lifted the tiny girl in his arms and then lifting her above his head tossed her carefully into the air and caught her again with the sure hands of a father having done it before. Allison squealed with laughter; her father had never done this. It was fun!


Tony took Allison up to bed that night, he'd had Gibbs visit just hours earlier, with Abby and Tim and all had brought something for Allison's room. Even though Tony told them he had everything he needed for her bedroom. All it really needed was coat of paint. Then again. He knew he would never be able to dissuade his family from pitching in and helping out.

Gibbs had brought a crib – he said it had once been Kelly's and he said that she would be glad knowing it had gone to someone who needed it. It was made of cherry wood and Tony had sneaking suspicion that Gibbs had made it when Shannon had been pregnant – telling her that it would be perfect for their little girl. Tony could even see where Gibbs had in small lettering carved 'Kelly Anne' into the base of the crib and next to it newly carved in was 'Allison Kate'. It was now truly Allison's crib. Gibbs included some small crib accessories. Even a mobile that he had made. It had tiny little stars and what Tony assumed was the moon. Inside that crib was a teddy bear. Allison hadn't seen the teddy at first, but she did when Tony lifted it out, she grabbed it and clutched it to her chest.

Abby had brought some clothes, in a variety of colours. Tony was glad to see that Abby hadn't bought anything in black instead she went for other mainstream colours, pinks, purples, green, blues, reds. T-shirts with 'Princess' or 'Mischief Managed' on them, pants (cargo and denim) and skirts, dresses and some small sweaters. The only things she would let Tony buy would be socks, shoes and underwear for Ally. Abby promised to provide everything else.

Tim had brought some games. Educational games but also some age-friendly ones. Even if Ally was only five months old, she would soon be able to play. Blocks and a large doll. Those she could play with. Although she loved the toys Tim had brought, the teddy bear from Gibbs never left her side. Tony smiled when she grabbed it up again and cuddled it to her chest.

"We have a winner." Tony laughed as – with Abby's help – began to put away Allison's new toys and clothes.

Tony was grateful for Abby and Tim because Jeanne hadn't given Tony a full wardrobe for Allison or any toys. He would still go out and buy her other clothes – and possibly take either Abby or Gibbs with him. He knew either would welcome the chance. Abby because she loved shopping for clothes and Gibbs because he might recall doing the same for Kelly. Not to mention – they were going to be Allison's Godparents.

"So, what do you think?" Tony smiled at his Boss when he came back downstairs.

"I like the crib, Boss. I was surprised that you brought over Kelly's. I had thought for a moment that you might have made one." Tony said.

"Well, I am making something for her room. A dresser. She needs one and it's almost finished. I was making it for Amira. But she's out grown it now and her mother bought her one so now it can go to Allison." Gibbs explained, accepting the mug of coffee Tony handed him. Strong and black, just the way he liked it.

"Ally loves her Uncle Gibbs. She loves you more than she loves Aunty Abby and Uncle Tim. I'm pretty sure she loves you almost as much as she loves me." Tony chuckled, sipping his own coffee – sugar and hazelnut creamer.

"That's a tall order. Being her father – her papa if you will, she must love you the most." Gibbs said with a fond smile – one he had reserved for Kelly and Shannon and now Allison.

"It took her and I almost a month to get to where we are. It took you less than five minutes. I know that she loves you because you toss her into the air. I never did that – I didn't trust my grip." Tony said honestly.

"She likes it and I guess if I can provide that happiness for her, I will for as long as I can." Gibbs promised, Tony laughed.

"Oh, she won't let you not do it. Trust me." He said.

"So, the crib is ok?" Gibbs needed confirmation.

"Yeah. I think she might get a…God I don't even know what kind of toddler bed she'll want. It's not like I can get the Magnum Ferrari one for her. Just because I liked it, doesn't mean she will. It'll have to be a Unicorn or something like that…I'll have to paint that room. Why is having a kid such a lot of work?" Tony moaned.

"Because we love them. If you didn't love her, Tony, it would be too easy. Because you wouldn't think of all this stuff. You wouldn't want to do all that for her. That is why it is so hard. But look at who you've got to help. Me, Abby, Tim, Ziva, Palmer, Ducky, I'll bet you could even get some of your Frat Brothers to help too. Don't three of them live in DC?" Gibbs asked. Tony nodded as he began to count them off on his fingers.

"Four actually. There's Steve, he's a lawyer – but one of the good ones. He helped me get this house. There's Chris – he's a pediatrician, and there's Andy – he's a chemist and lastly there's Keagan." Tony said, counting them off on his fingers.

"What's he do?" Gibbs asked.

"Keagan? Video game designer." Tony said leaning back against the counter his mug now empty, "reckon I'd call Chris first if I needed a doctor for Ally, but if I couldn't get in to him, it'd be Duckster."

"Always good to have a plan B." Gibbs said placing his own mug in the sink.

"Yeah. And I always do." Tony said, turning to rinse them out. Before offering Gibbs his Italian leather couch to crash on.


Gibbs was woken the next morning by the smell of fresh coffee. And a giggling weight on his stomach. As he opened his eyes the weight was lifted off of him.

"Now, I thought I told you to leave Uncle Leroy alone." Tony said to his daughter who simply continued giggling. Even when Gibbs grunted at the use of his hated first name.

"It's ok, Tony. I got her." Gibbs took Allison from her father's arms and pressed a raspberry kiss to her cheek, causing her to squeal in delight, "What would Daddy know, huh?"

"I didn't think it was possible for me to learn anymore from you, but obviously I have a lot to learn." Tony laughed.

"Always keep learning, DiNozzo. I can't teach you everything I know in just a few years. I'd need three lifetimes." Gibbs said letting Allison go back to her father.

"Well, I've had the plague, you've been blown up…I think we may have used up our lives, Gibbs." Tony smiled.

"Funny, DiNozzo. Funny." Gibbs said.

"I do try. Come on, piccola, let's get you something for breakfast and start Uncle Leroy's coffee." Tony said turning to walk away.

"Piccola?" Gibbs asked following.

"Little one. I also call her: Mia Figlia, My Daughter; mio piccolo sognatore, my little dreamer and Piccolo fiore, Little Flower. She giggles whenever I call her that. She has no idea at the moment what it means but I think she likes it." Tony said with a small shrug.

"At this rate she'll know Italian almost better than you." Gibbs said.

"I'm working on not just her vocab but mine too. I'm kinda hoping she'll call me 'Papá'. But I'll settle on Daddy." Tony said, carefully set her in her highchair and prepared her eggs and toast for himself and Gibbs. Apple juice was put in a bottle and Tony sat himself down in front of Allison. They had done this a thousand times and Tony was ready for anything. Gibbs only now noticed that the t-shirt Tony wore was too big and covered in paint stains. And the jeans were torn at the knees and frayed at the hem.

"Old clothes?" Gibbs asked.

"Baby clothes. After I feed and burp her, I can change clothes and throw these out to be washed if she pukes on them. She's pretty good but you never know. Also, if she throws-" Tony stopped when egg landed on his face, "food at me." He said amid Gibbs' snickers.

"Well, kids are good at that. Kelly used to do it all the time." Gibbs said taking a bite from his toast.

"Yeah. Allison loves it, it's her favorite game to play. Let's see how much of my breakfast I can get on Daddy today." Tony mumbled.


Tuesday, September 23rd 2008

Allison had started to talk just a month ago. 'Papa', 'Gib', 'Ab', and 'No' were her favourite words to use. 'No' had been first actually. Followed closely by 'Gib' and then 'Papa'.

"Gib! Come! Come!" Allison was in the middle of a tantrum.

"Yes, he's coming tomorrow, Ally. But we must go to sleep so tomorrow comes." Tony said patiently.

"No!" She argued.

"Allison…I don't have the time or patience for this right now." He said.

"No bed! Not sleep!" She said.

"Allison Kate DiNozzo, I do not need your attitude right now." How an almost one year old had an attitude, he didn't know, but he was fairly sure that Allison had one.

"No!" That was her favorite word right now. Shaking his head Tony got to his feet.

"Alright, young lady. You can stay here. But Papa is going to bed." Tony said.

"No! Papa stay!" She demanded.

"Papa is tired, Ally. So, Papa has to go to bed." Why Tony was talking about himself in third person, he didn't know, but it seemed to work better with Allison.

"Papa stay! Gib come!" she demanded.

"Gibbs is coming tomorrow, Ally. Not until the sun comes up." Tony said.

"No! Gib come!" She screamed.

"Bene, piccolo fiore, é ora di andare a letto." Tony said lifting her from the floor.

"No! Papa! No!" She protested and squirmed in his arms.

"You are going to bed like it or not!" He snapped, harder than he meant to but it made her go silent. Before the tears started. Tony thanked his lucky stars that the money his mother had left him allowed him have enough to buy a small house, so that he didn't have to have neighbours complaining about the child screaming. He put Allison over his shoulder and ignored her sobs as he carried her to her room and put her in her crib.

"No! No! No!" she said stomping her feet.

"You will go to bed; you will go to sleep or you will not see Gibbs tomorrow." He warned.

"No Gib?" She said suddenly quiet and sad.

"That's right. No Gibbs, unless you go to sleep." Allison allowed her father then to dress her in her pajamas and put her to bed. Tony sighed as he turned on the nightlight and softly closed the door behind him. He really needed Gibbs to show him how to be put a stroppy child to bed.


Gibbs arrived at 11am the following morning. Thankfully, Tony had managed to get Allison to eat her breakfast first.

"Gib! Gib!" she cheered when she saw him, holding her arms out for him to pick her up.

"Hey there, Beautiful! Have you given Papa any trouble?" Gibbs asked lifting her in his arms.

"No." she said, with a face that butter wouldn't melt.

"Yes! You did. You didn't want to go to bed last night. Gibbs, you have to tell me how you manage to get a stroppy toddler into bed without much trouble." Tony said, Gibbs smiled.

"How did you manage it?" Gibbs asked.

"Told her she wouldn't see you today if she didn't go to sleep. If she had refused, I would've called you and told you not to come over." Tony winked at Gibbs, unseen by Allison, the let the male know that his words were for his daughter not him.

"Well…you did alright DiNozzo, sometimes it takes a strong hand to get them down. But perhaps don't use me as a reason next time." Jethro laughed.

"I think it's happened Gibbs, she loves you more than she does me. I'm a mean Daddy." Tony said.

"You're a good Dad, DiNozzo. And she does love you. Kids always say things they don't really mean. She may have said you were mean at the time and to her you were being mean, preventing her from staying up so she wouldn't miss seeing me, to her that was mean." He said.

"So, I'm not really a bad father? She just thought I was being mean because I was making her go to sleep?" Gibbs nodded.

"It'll be the same with bath time soon enough. Trust me." He told the younger man.


2023 Allison 16

PROM NIGHT

"Daddy, he's a really nice guy! You'd be very impressed!" Allison said as she twirled in a circle in front of her father, Jethro and Tim. All of whom thought her cream dress was pretty, not too revealing and it matched her skin tone, hair color and brought out the green in her eyes.

"I've just never met this kid, Ally. Tell me about him." Tony said.

"His name is Michael. He's taller than me, so my heels are fine, he's on the debate team," she began.

"Argumentative."

"Opinionated. He's also on the swim team," She continued.

"Sporty."

"Fit. And the chess team." She frowned at her running commentary.

"Smart."

"Problem solver. Can you stop with the commentary, Uncle Leroy! It's not fair that you do that! Michael wants to be a lawyer or an athlete when he graduates. He's a really nice guy." She snapped at the three snickering men.

"We'll see what we think when he gets here." Tim said.

"Just don't scare him away, please. Not like Uncle Leon did to Kayla's date to the prom. She told me all about it." She warned.

"We won't scare him…you know we're just pussycats." Tony said, just as doorbell rang.

"Yeah, with big claws. Coming!" She picked up her purse, turned to look at her escorts and rolled her eyes, before plastering on a smile and opening the door. The three men were met with a tall, teenager, dressed in a tailored black suit, real tie (one he's tied himself not those stupid elastic necked ones), and polished-until-you-could-see-your-reflection-in-them shoes.

"Hey, Ally. You look great." Michael was a tall, blonde hair, blue eyed teenager. He looked fit and strong, so the swimming was helping.

"Hey, Michael. This is my dad, Anthony, and my uncles Leroy and Tim." She said as she stepped back into her house to place a kiss to her Dad's cheek and bid him a goodnight.

"Hello, Mr. DiNozzo, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ally speak of you highly. And her Uncles too." Michael put his hand out to shake Tony's the older man accepted it, with a blank expression.

"Michael, nice to meet you finally. Ally talks about you a lot too. One question. What kind of car-" Allison butted in, trying to stop this train wreck before it crashed and burned.

"Dad!" She pleaded.

"Uh, it's a 1967 Chevrolet Impala, sir. Black. I'll take good care of Allison, sir." He promised, putting an arm around Allison's waist.

"Have her home by 12." Tony said.

"Yes sir." Michael agreed.


House of Tony DiNozzo

258 E Maple Ave.

Alexandria, Virginia

July 28th 2026 (Allison 18, Tony 56)

"YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE A MARINE!" Tim McGee paused outside his Team Leader's house. He didn't bother hiding the smile he shared with the 'Probie' beside him. Rebecca Miller was scared at the tone and she hadn't met Tony yet.

"His daughter. She's 18 now and wants to join the corps. Her Godfather who is our Director – he supports it." Tim said, with a grin.

"Director Gibbs is her godfather?" Rebecca gaped.

"Yep, and Kacie's predecessor is her godmother. Abby Sciuto." Tim said.

"Wow. And she's Tony's daughter? Good pedigree." Rebecca remarked.

"Yep, she's tough. But I think Tony would prefer if she went to College and got a degree. He did, sports scholarship to Ohio State, Phys Ed major. But also has a degree in psychology from Georgetown." Tim said a little bit of pride in his voice. After all, he was the one who suggested it and helped Tony study for his exams.

"Who do you think is going to win?" Rebecca asked.

"My money's on Allison." Tim said.

"YOU CAN'T STOP ME DAD! I'VE ALREADY ENLISTED!" Allison's voice replied just as loud as Tony's.

"I CAN TIE YOU TO YOUR BED IF I WANT TO AND YOU WON'T BE GOING!" Tony's response actually made both agents flinch.

"UNCLE GIBBS SAYS I SHOULD! SO DOES AUNTY ABBY!" Allison screamed at her father.

"They are not your parents." The voice was still loud but he wasn't keen on the whole street hearing them now.

"Dad, I know I could be killed over there. But I could walk out that door and get hit by a bus. When your number's up, it's up." She was speaking, McGee was at the door.

"I just don't you hurt." Tony said.

"I know Dad. I know." Allison replied.

"McGee! Miller! What's the case?" Tony said, as he looked up and could see his agents outside.

"Dead Marine, Rock Creek Park. And Ally, do whatever your heart tells you. But a degree might be a good idea." McGee said with a soft smile at the teen, she rolled her eyes and gave him a smile, before nodding, telling him the message was received.

By the time Tony retired and Tim got to be Director McGee of NCIS – Staff Sergeant Allison DiNozzo had been assumed KIA in Kuwait. But that is a story for another time.


A/N: Most of my information about Allison's development that Tony 'Googled' was from me doing the same thing. I do not have children and am not around children a lot.

Translations:

Piccolo – Little one

Mia Figlia – My Daughter

Il mio piccolo sognatore – My little dreamer

Piccolo fiore – Little Flower

Bene, piccolo fiore, é ora di andare a letto – Right, Little Flower, time for bed.