Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or anything associated with it. No money is being made from this work. Also, I messed around with the NCIS timeline. So, there will be familiar elements, they just may not be in the order, or context from the actual show.

Fiction (n) – invention or fabrication as opposed to fact.

Chapter 3 – One Year Earlier – Buttering People Up

"Ok, kiddo," Fornell was crouched down so he could look Anthony DiNozzo Jr. in the eye.

"You're going to help me butter up some of the people who are going to be helping me with your father's case." Fornell explained.

"What does buffer up mean?" Tony asked.

"It means to try to get someone to like you and to make them happy." Fornell responded.

"Why do we need to buffer tem up?" Tony asked.

"Because if they are happy, they will be more than willing to help us." Fornell responded.

"But I fought that if tey were po-lice officers tey would have to help us anyway?" Tony questioned.

'Smart kid.' Fornell thought.

"They do, but it never hurts to make people extra happy." Fornell finally responded.

"Are tey gonna help keep the bad men away from me and papa?" Tony questioned.

"Yep." Fornell responded.

"Okay." Tony responded after a few seconds. "So what do we do to buffer them up?" He finally asked.

"You're gonna bring them something to drink." Fornell replied with a smirk.

"Thas it?" Tony looked unsure.

"Yep." Tobias responded again.

"Why me?" Tony looked curious.

'Huh,' Fornell thought, 'this kid questions people like a pro.'

"Because you're cute." Fornell finally responded.

"Okay." Tony replied with a shrug of his shoulders. He could be cute. Being cute usually got him candy.

After a few minutes of explanation, Fornell asked, "Now you remember your assignment?"

"Yep!" Tony cried excitedly. Fornell had worded his directions so that it sounded like Tony was an agent.

"Mista Jefro gets da cup wif da J on it firs. Den, Mista Timmony get da cup wif da T on it. Den, Miss Zee gets da cup wif da Z. Den, I gets da small one because it's hot cocolate!" Tony responded proudly.

"Good boy, and what do you when you get there?" Fornell responded.

"Put the hoder on da foor, so I's don't spill any!" Tony answered.

"And where am I gonna be?" Fornell asked

"Talkin to Miss Diwector Jenn." Tony replied.

"And what do you do if you need me?" Fornell followed up.

"Ax Mista Jefro to call you." Tony responded.

"Excellent! Let's go." Then Tobias Fornell and Anthony DiNozzo Jr. were headed off to NCIS.

AN 1: I am not the best at writing "kid speak," so I did the best I could.

AN 2: "buffer" = butter

AN 3: "tem" = them

AN 4: "faught" = thought

AN 5: "tey" = they

AN 6: "thas" = that's

AN 7: "Mista" = Mister

AN 8: "wif" = with

AN 9: "firs" = first

AN 10: "hoder" = holder

AN 11: "da" = the

AN 12: "cocolate" = chocolate

AN 13: "foor" = floor

AN 14: "diwector" = director

AN 15: Thanks to everyone for all of the kudos and comments!