The Other Tony chapter 13
A/N: So sorry guys for disappearing like I did, especially since I got so many wonderful comments. I really appreciate it! The reason I wasn't writing was simply that life caught up with me and demanded my full attention. To top it off I made myself a promise this December to try to write on the book I'm working on each and every day. Those two combined was the reason for me not writing new chapters. Now though I'm back, and here I will stay!
-Flashback-
"Something on your mind Steve? You've been quiet all through dinner." Gibbs asked his brother.
"I'm fine Leroy, just thinking about some problems at school."
"What problems?!" Tony felt his Dad's eyes land on him and focused on his food, trying to ignore the looks.
"Some students don't seem too fond of me being there."
"How so? I've read the new rules and I know you won't settle with anything less than respect from your students."
"It's not really attitude towards my face, I had a pretty extreme prank played on me on Friday."
"What kind of prank?"
"Air horn under my seat, a edited version of a song playing as soon as I opened the computer…"
"Something else?"
"Somebody thought it be funny to change me into a Smurf. He or she rigged a bucket of blue paint over my door. Ended up ruining my suit, but it's mostly the thought of somebody putting that much thought into a prank. That isn't exactly the welcome I hoped for."
"I'm sure it just was a stupid prank Steve, even though I would have wanted to see you standing there covered in blue paint. The color really suits you, you know."
"I heard about that." Tim chipped in. "Nobody knows who it was, most people wouldn't have dared to mess with you."
"Is the last your opinion, or somebody else's?" Uncle Steve questioned with a raised eyebrow. Tony was watching the whole exchange tensely, just waiting for his Uncle to give him a clue whether he suspected Tony or not.
"Everybody I heard talking about the prank said they never would have had the guts to do it."
"Somebody had." Gibbs said eyeing his oldest suspiciously.
"Yeah anyhow, what did you think of the first week, kids? Am I really such a bad principal that I deserved that?!" Uncle Steve asked teasingly, but with a hint of seriousness in his voice.
"No! Of course not Uncle Steve!" Traitor, Tony thought as he listened to his brother trying to convince their Uncle he was the best principal ever. Not really wanting to answer the question Tony tried to change the question.
"Speaking of school squirt, don't you have a new teacher as well? We had a substitute instead of him so I want to know how serious he is…"
"Come on Tony don't try anything, he's nice."
"Need more than that squirt."
"No pranks Tony." His Dad's voice had gotten serious once again and Tony felt the anger rise.
"Why not?! A harmless prank Dad is just that, harmless." Tony argued.
"Settle down kid." His Uncle ordered but Tony ignored him.
"Like what happened to Uncle Steve, it's not like he got hurt or anything?!"
"It still wasn't that nice Tony. You know I don't mind small pranks here and there, but school is a different story. You are there to learn, not mess around. A lot of these pranks will make me look incompetent for this job, it will look like I can't handle my students and the teachers will lose their respect for me as well."
"You really are making this a too big of a deal." Tony mumbled.
"Anthony. This discussion is ended. I ever hear of you pranking someone at school I'll let your Uncle come down on you like a ton of bricks, you got me?!"
"Yes sir." Tony muttered angrily at the table. In no time his Dad had rose from the table and he now stood next to Tony turning the chair Tony sat on to face him.
"Do we have a problem Anthony?" Gibbs asked hands on each side of his oldest son's shoulder, leaning into his personal space.
"No sir." A tap to his chin had Tony meeting his Dad's eyes and backing down immediately. "Sorry."
"I don't expect us to have to have this conversation again Anthony, is that clear?!"
"Yes sir." They wouldn't, because his Dad would never find out who had pranked Uncle Steve. At least that's what he thought.
-Flashback ending-
"How was your day?" His Dad stood leaning against the doorframe to his room watching as he finished up his homework.
"Fine."
"You sure?"
"Yeah Dad, it was fine." Tony sighed.
"Not the least weird to have Uncle Steve present during some of your classes?" Gibbs asked knowingly. Tony's downcast eyes was all the answer he needed. "Tony buddy, lying to me shouldn't be an option."
"Sorry."
"You know better kid, you know I can't help you unless you are honest with me."
"I know Dad."
"Are you telling me everything Tony?" Gibbs suddenly asked.
"What?" The question was totally unexpected and took Tony by surprise.
"Is there something you aren't telling me Tony?"
"Why would you think that?"
"Tony."
"Dad I'm okay, you don't have to worry."
"It wasn't what I asked Tony."
-Flashback-
"It's not what I asked Tony." Luke said, quickly losing his temper.
"Why do you need to know?!"
"Because you wouldn't do something like this unless something happened last Sunday."
"Why…?"
"Come on Tony, what did he say to make you this angry?"
"Nothing Luke."
"You say that a lot lately you know,"
"Come on Luke." Tony groaned. He really didn't want to talk about it.
"No. We are best friends Tony, that means you should trust me with these kinds of things."
"I do Luke."
"Then tell me."
"He complained to Dad about the prank and when I started talking about harmless pranks being just that-harmless, they both got angry with me."
"And that's exactly why this is a bad idea."
"I'm not going to change Luke, not even to please Uncle Steve. He thinks I'm the same boy at school that he sees every Sunday, but I'm not. This is the only place I've been able to act out even a little, where I can test my boundaries without Dad or somebody else coming down on me like a ton of bricks the second I step out of line."
"He is the Principal, Tony. Don't you think the first thing he did was to read your file?!"
"No, he wouldn't do that, besides he promised not to dig into my school history unless I gave him reason to."
"And you don't think pranking him repeatedly is going to give him one?! You were the ultimate prankster last year, one quick glance into your file and you are busted Tony."
"Then we'll get rid of my file too." Tony said determinedly.
-Flashback ending-
"Tony!"
"What?!" Tony asked startled suddenly ripped from his thoughts at his Dad's voice.
"What are you thinking about?"
"When Uncle Steve first started as our Principal."
"Tony…" Gibbs said, the warning clear in his voice.
"Don't worry Dad, I'm not giving him a hard time or anything like that, I just suddenly came to think about it."
"You better not."
"After what you did when you found out?! And Uncle Steve?! Not a chance in the world I'd do anything like it again."
"Good, now back to my original question." Tony gulped, he had hoped telling his Dad about what he was thinking effectively would have moved the conversation away from that question, but clearly nothing could take his Dad's mind of that question. "The longer you stall Anthony the clearer it is there's something you aren't telling me, so out with it son! What aren't you telling me?!"