Tony stopped the car and stepped out of it, he'd treated himself to one of his father's Porches, mostly to make a good impression but a part of him liked his father not being able to stop him. He jogged around to the passenger side and opened the door, two long legs stepped out before the rest of Jessica Fields climbed out of the car and Tony held back a whistle. He handed the keys to the nearest valet before letting Jessica take his arm. He lead them into the expensive restaurant and straight to their reserved table. Tony pulled out a chair for Jessica before sitting down himself.
"Such a gentleman," Gibbs remarked sarcastically as he watched covertly from another table. To anyone else it would look like an older gentleman was entertaining a younger woman. To Tony it was his boss and Ziva keeping an eye on him. McGee had unfortunately been stuck with the waiter's uniform again. The ear piece meant that Gibbs could talk to him, he was also wearing a mic so he could talk to the team, it also meant they could listen in on his conversation.
"Nice place," Jessica noted with a slight smile.
"Have you been here before?" Tony asked.
Jessica shook her head, "I don't get the chance to go out a lot."
"Now that I don't believe, I beautiful woman like you must get to go to all the best restaurants."
"You'd be surprised," Jessica's smiled widened, flattered by Tony's remark, she fluttered her eyebrows and flashed her pearly whites. At that moment, McGee appeared.
"Your menu's sir," McGee handed over two leather bound menus, "Would you like to see a wine list?"
"That won't be necessary, bring us your best champagne."
McGee frowned, "Are you sure Sir?"
Tony looked up and glared at McGee, "Very sure," He growled.
"Very well," McGee nodded before walking off.
"You're paying for that DiNozzo," Gibbs said. Tony ignored him and turned back to Jessica.
"I love champagne," She murmured softly as McGee brought the sparkling wine over and poured it into two glasses.
"Me too," Tony replied, with one of his movie star smiles.
"Stop flirting and start getting some information DiNozzo," Gibbs said.
"So, how long have you been working with your father?" Tony asked.
Jessica took a sip of the expensive liquid before answering, "Five years."
"Really?"
"You seem surprised."
"You just don't look like the kind of gal who belongs behind a desk."
Jessica laughed, "Kind of gal?"
"Okay," Tony leant forward, "different question."
"Fire away."
"Why work for your father?"
"Well it does come with some perks," Jessica replied.
"Yeah? Like what?"
"Well," Jessica leant forward meeting Tony In the middle of the table, "None of the sleazy guys at work hit on me," She whispered.
Tony laughed, he leant back into his chair, "Does that mean you don't think I'm sleazy?"
"No, just means you aren't afraid of my father."
Tony laughed again, "Should I be afraid of him?"
Jessica smiled but didn't answer, "Why do you work for your father?" Jessica decided it was her turn to ask the questions.
"I like living a certain lifestyle."
Jessica smiled, "But that's not why you work for him."
Tony raised his eyebrow and took a moment before speaking. He looked down at the table before looking back up at the dazzling woman sitting opposite him, "I guess I want him to be proud of me."
Jessica nodded, "Now you know why I work for my father" She spoke before taking another sip of champagne. Their conversation was interrupted by McGee arriving to take their food orders.
"So, What were you doing before working for the family business?" Tony asked once McGee had left.
"Law school, then Engel & Schultz law firm in Boston, what about you?"
"Yeah, law too," Tony answered vaguely.
"Business law?"
"Criminal," Tony knew the best lie was the truth, or as close to the truth as possible.
"Really, that must have been so interesting."
"Get her back on topic DiNozzo," Gibbs ordered, obviously impatient with Tony's line of questioning.
"Not really," Tony brought the conversation to an abrupt halt. He was saved by the food coming. He began to eat. "Are you and your father close?" He asked once he'd swallowed.
"Fairly, It's just been me and him for a while, I'm an only child."
"Snap," Tony interrupted, "How involved in the business are you?"
"Why all the questions?" Jessica asked with a frown.
Tony shrugged, "I'm a curious guy," He smiled, "I like to know everything I can about beautiful women," Jessica smiled at his compliment and Tony sighed in relief, "So?"
"I'm a lawyer, not president of the company, I think that if me and my father worked too closely together then we wouldn't have the good relationship we have now. He's a good father but he has his flaws and too much time in his company is never as good thing."
"I hear ya, my father has a habit of collecting wives, each one worse than the last."
Jessica laughed, "At least you can escape them, my father collects the most gaudy ornaments and fills the house with them. I broke one once and he didn't speak to me for a month."
"So, neither of our father's has any taste," Jessica laughed, "But plenty of money."
Jessica lifted her glass, "A toast, to ex-wives and tacky figurines," Tony lifted his own glass and let it clink gently against hers.
"Ex-wives and tacky figurines," He repeated. They took a sip at the same time, their eyes fixed on each other. It was then that Tony decided he needed to talk to Gibbs. He pushed his chair back and stood up, "Excuse me, need to use the men's room."
Jessica nodded, "Hurry back," Her eyes travelled across his body hungrily. Tony left th table and entered the men's room.
"Gibbs," He called into his mic.
"What is it DiNozzo?" Gibbs answered from his table.
"I don't think she's in on it."
"What makes you say that?"
"My gut, she doesn't have what it takes to be involved in something like this."
"We've had problems in the past with a certain part of your anatomy being in control."
"This is not one of those times boss, she doesn't work closely with her father, I don't think he had any reason to involve her, especially if it all went wrong. He wouldn't want her to go to jail."
"And you know this how?"
"I've seen Alistair and Jessica together, he worships her. He wouldn't do anything to jeopardize her career."
"Okay DiNozzo, let's go then."
"Boss?"
"What DiNozzo?"
"The night might as well finish on a high note," Tony smiled.
He heard Gibbs laugh slightly and a loud sigh from Ziva, "Fine, we'll leave you to it."
"I do my best work alone," He replied. He hadn't heard the bathroom door open and as he turned around he came face to face with a very confused man, "What?" he questioned, "You've never seen man talk to himself before?" Tony brushed past the man and left the men's room.
The man raised an eyebrow and answered to the empty room, "Not in the men's room I haven't."
Gibbs, Ziva and McGee entered the DiNozzo mansion in silence. It was clear that both McGee and Ziva were tired, "Bed, both of you," Sometimes Gibbs felt like their father, "Be up early tomorrow, we have a lot of work to do," They nodded and wearily climbed the stairs. Gibbs was about to follow them when he noticed a light on in the living room. He walked across the entrance hall and peered into the living room. Still sitting in his chair was Anthony DiNozzo Sr, a glass of whiskey in his hand and an empty bottle on the table next to him.
"I know you're there Agent Gibbs," Gibbs stepped into the room.
"It's late."
"I own a watch," Anthony retorted scathingly.
"If you're waiting up for Tony then you're going to be sitting there for a while."
"I know about my son's…habits, he's probably already booked a hotel room in town."
"And it's never bothered you?"
"I can see it's never bothered you."
"He didn't develop commitment issues from me," Gibbs noted.
Anthony slammed his glass down on the table and stood up, "I'm fed up of being blamed for my son's issues," He snapped.
"You're right, lets just blame Tony, seeing as he just about raised himself!" Gibbs countered, his voice raising.
"You have no idea what it was like!"
"No, but I know Tony now and I'm not trying to make him something he's not and I don't send him power sanders when anyone who knows him would know he doesn't have a single DIY bone in his body, he's good at what he does and he works hard at what he does and I can't take people like you making him feel worthless just because you can!"
"Then you must be a saint!" Anthony spat.
"Hardly," Gibbs shook his head.
"Well you seem to like preaching," He sneered.
Gibbs laughed, "I actually wanted to thank you."
"For what?" Anthony asked suspiciously.
"If you hadn't treated Tony the way you did, he probably wouldn't be working for me right about now."
"How dare you!"
"Carefull," Gibbs warned, not at all intimidated by Anthony, "Or I might just find some evidence that implicates you as an accomplice in this whole mess."
"You wouldn't!"
Gibbs stepped into Anthony's personal space and then spoke softly in a low voice, "Ask Tony what I wouldn't do," He didn't wait for a response before storming out of the room.