Hi!

I was so amazed by the reviews I got! Thank you, guys, I am really happy that you like my story :-)

Sorry for all the grammar and spelling mistakes. But I am not a naitive speaker... I will try to get a beta reader :-)

Have fun reading the second chapter of my story!

Christmas Day

Gibbs had quite a headache, when he woke up. He felt ten years older and at the same time 30 years younger. He felt like a high-school teenager having his first hangover after graduation ceremony. Luckily he didn't have to puke, it was just a headache. However Gibbs swore to himself to never drink alcohol again.

After a few minutes lying awake in his bed, he remembered the incident of the late evening. Fornell had called him; Anthony Dinozzo had sat on his veranda badly hurt and ended up sleeping at his house. Gibbs sighed. He would have to spend his days off dealing with a case of child abuse. It wasn't like Gibbs was worried about Tony, that guy seemed to be tough. Gibbs was sure that as soon as Tony was 18 years old, he would move out and live his own life.

But he was worried about that little girl. On contrast to her brother she wouldn't be able to leave her father's house soon. Gibbs couldn't bear the idea of a grown-up man beating up that little girl. Maybe her brother would protect her. He seemed to do it now, too. But he couldn't bet on that. It was clear to Gibbs that he had to do something.

So far Gibbs knew Fornell investigated Dinozzo. Well, if Fornell was successful, everything would end up good anyway. If Dinozzo Sr. were in prison, Tony and his sister would get a foster family. That girl wouldn't have the nicest childhood, but it would be alright.

Despite that Gibbs decided to not wait until Fornell solved his case. Waiting for something to happen –that wasn't Gibbs' style. He would call the social service right away. Mr. Dinozzo Sr. might be a powerful man and criminal, but Gibbs had power and connections, too.

It would be easy to get Dinozzo Sr. charged - Tony and Sofia would just have to tell social service about their dad. Besides there were enough bruises and scars on that boy to prove, that his father was the biggest bastard on earth.

Gibbs yawned and got up from his bed. Well, first he would get a coffee, than he would call social service.

Gibbs went upstairs and smiled, as he could hear McGee snore. Abby was still sleeping with her head on his lap. Gifts for Christmas were still unopened under the Christmas tree. Gibbs sighed. Even Kelly wasn't that excited about presents anymore. It was quite hard to buy her anything, too. When she was young, he just had to buy a doll and she would be on cloud nine.

Now she wanted some phones, computers, television… Some technical stuff, which Gibbs hated.

Gibbs turned on the coffee machine.

It was nine o'clock in the morning. Soon everyone would wake up. They would share their gifts. Gibbs didn't like that the little girl wouldn't get anything. That would be an uncomfortable situation, when everyone enjoyed their Christmas Day's gifts, but only a little girl would leave his house empty-handed. Well, Tony certainly wouldn't get anything, too. But Gibbs didn't care about him that much- a 17 year old boy could deal with no presents.

Gibbs took his coffee and walked to his basement. Maybe he would find one of Kelly's old dolls. Some of them were still quite nice and Kelly wouldn't mind to give one of them to a little, unlucky girl. After Gibbs found a doll along with some dresses, he changed his mind and tried to think about what he could give a teenage boy.

Gibbs knew that he wasn't quite fair to that boy. Yes, Tony was a troublemaker. Gibbs remembered well that on the last conference in school the parent's committee complained about Tony being violent and being bad influence for the other kids. But Gibbs hadn't forgot either, that Tony's nanny, a Mexican woman, tried to excuse him and told them that the boy had a hard time without a mother and with father, who was most of the time absent.

Now Gibbs knew the real problem. It wasn't that his father was absent. It was his father being present and beating his son up like punching bag.

Gibbs searched for something to give Tony at least anything. His father was rich, but Gibbs had noticed yesterday that the boy didn't dress like a spoilt brat. His shoes were tattered. His shirt was old and washed out.

What should he give him? If Tony wasn't on his best way to be a criminal, Gibbs might have given him a Swiss army.

Tony was too young for alcohol, too. Anyhow it wasn't the smartest idea to give some guy with serious family issues alcohol. Well what else could he give him as a present?

Gibbs didn't know how many times Tony lied to him yesterday. Gibbs had a feeling that the only honest thing the boy had said, was that he liked to be called Tony.

Yet Gibbs wondered why Tony showed up at his house. Anything the boy said wasn't honest and didn't make sense at all. Was Tony actually a friend of Kelly's? Did his little girl befriend with the worst of all badasses and troublemakers of her school, although Gibbs had warned her?

Tony might have had a messed up childhood, but that didn't make him a good friend to his daughter. Though, Gibbs thought, Kelly was still like her mother. She might not like troublemakers but she had a heart of gold. If Kelly knew what problems Tony had, she would most likely do anything to help him. Even if she had to renege on a promise she had given Gibbs.

"Jethro?" The elderly man came down the wooden stairs.

"Good morning, Ducky. I try to find anything I could give to those Dinozzo kids. I mean, it's Christmas Day. Do you have an idea, what I could give to a 17 years old boy?"

"Jethro, I do not think that this is necessary anymore. Our dear Anthony climbed out of your window along with his sister. Moreover he might not feel well. He vomited on your bed. Nausea is common symptom of concussion."

Gibbs sighed angrily. Dinozzo surely didn't know how to show gratitude. After he showed up in the middle of the night, Dinozzo got medical care and a bed to sleep. Next morning he seemed to have forgotten about it, puked on his bed (well, that might not be Dinozzo's fault, Gibbs had to admit) and climbed out of the window. Dinozzo was the best proof that caning was no way to raise a kid to a proper and polite young man.

"Where are you going, Jethro?" Ducky asked.

"I am going to get that Dinozzo kid and his sister."

Tony lay on the cold floor of his toiled. He felt sick.

How could he have puked on Gibb's bed? He was so embarrassed.

How could he have accepted to sleep there anyway? His father was right. Tony was good for nothing.

That night Tony had been too weak. He had been too weak to run, too weak to make up a good lie, too weak to resist a medical treatment.

What would Kelly think about him? He didn't want her to pity him. He wanted her to like him because he was Tony. He didn't want to see the sad look in her eyes. The sad look all of his former nannies had. The sad look his primary school teacher Mrs. Miller had before she died because of a heart attack.

Tony started to cry.

A voice in his head screamed at him. 'Dinozzos don't cry.' But as soon as he remembered Mrs. Miller he had to. She had been an elderly lady. A real lady. Tony had never seen such woman before or after he met her. She had been the first who noticed all the bruises he had and who didn't believe in Tony's charming smile. She called social service. Then she died. At that time Tony didn't understand that it might have been his father, who killed her. But today he was sure about it. His father was a criminal, a really bad criminal. Why else would the FBI monitor them for weeks?

Then Tony heard a knocking at his door. Please, god let not his father be awake already.

Gibbs rang the bell of Dinozzo's mansion. He would talk to Tony. He would persuade him to tell the social service about his dad.

Nobody opened the door. He rang again.

It was quite normal that Tony didn't believe in the police or social service. Gibbs wondered if that boy even knew what NCIS actually was.

Tony had to struggle all on his own since he was a kid. As it seemed no one helped him. He must have lost faith in authorities who were supposed to help him.

Gibbs just wanted to ring again, but his phone vibrated.

"What is it, Fornell?" Gibbs asked impatiently. Gibbs went a few steps away so that there was no chance that anyone in Dinozzo's mansion could overhear their conversation.

"Just wanted to know: what are you doing at Dinozzo's house? You know he is our primary suspect."

"I know. But did you know that that bastard beats the crap out of his son?"

"Well… That man does do a lot. We just need to prove it. But most importantly we need to destroy a criminal organization."

"You mean, you knew about Tony, but still you just watched the family for weeks without pressing charges?"

"Gibbs, don't interfere. This is our case. Don't need you to destroy all we've worked on."

"I don't see how me calling social service could destroy your work. I will call social service, Tony will tell them about his dad. They get a foster family. End of story."

"You really think that boy is telling anyone about his dad? That he actually wants you to help? Anthony Dinozzo Jr. is the most stubborn and toughest 17 years old guy I've ever seen. He is a solo fighter. He doesn't care for anybody, even not for himself. Well maybe he cares for his sister but that's it. I am sure that as soon as his father notices it, he will instruct his son to work for him, if he doesn't do it already. He will not let you help him. And his father will make your life a misery."

"You intend to wait for that boy to become a criminal?"

"I am waiting for Dinozzo making a mistake."

"What about his little sister? You have a daughter, too."

"You mean Sofia Dinozzo? Well, I am pretty sure that Dinozzo Sr. never laid a finger on her. She has her brother, who protects her. Her life isn't as much messed up as the Dinozzo boy's is. She is quite good at school, takes part in after school activities and has many friends… I don't think that we will do her any harm, if we wait until we solve the case before we help her."

"You disappoint me, Fornell." Gibbs said and hang up.

Impatiently he rang the door again. Why the hell does nobody open the door?

"Tony?"

Tony was relieved to hear his sister's voice instead of his father's.

"Yes, sweetie?" Tony didn't want to open his bathroom's door. He didn't want his sister to notice that he not only had puked, but also cried.

"Mr. Gibbs rang the door. Should I open it? Don't want dad to wake up and talk to him."

"I will open the door. Just need to wash myself, wait a minute. But you remember what I told you this morning?"

"Yes… I shouldn't talk to him about dad, even if he insists that he just want to help."

"Yes and why aren't you allowed to talk to him about that?"

" 'cause you would get in a lot of trouble."

"That's right, sis. They might even separate us."

"No! I don't want that to happen."

As he finished washing off his tears, Tony opened the bathroom.

"Come on, Sofia. You have to tell Mr. Gibbs, too, that everything is alright. You can do that, can't you?"

"I can!"

Tony felt that it was wrong to lie to that man again. Tony had to admit, he helped Tony a lot yesterday. Maybe Tony would have frozen to death, if Gibbs hadn't helped him. Tony had been far to confused because of his concussion to help himself.

Tony opened the door. He had to swallow as he saw Kelly's dad angrily looking at him.

"Tony… you forgot to tell me goodbye before you climbed out of my window."

One moment there was silence.

"Tony… come on, get in my car. We will call social service and get you and your sister out of here. I am a Special Agent of NCIS. You can believe me, I do can help you. I have power and connections."

"I don't know what you are talking about, Agent Gibbs. I don't need your help. Everything is alright."

Gibbs had to hold himself to not lose his temper. That boy just lied to him deliberately. Even though he knew that Gibbs wouldn't believe him. But Tony knew that Gibbs could do nothing if Tony didn't accept their help.

"What about you wounds? Yesterday you admitted that it was your father."

"Can't remember admitting anything. I told you, I had a fight with a friend. You can call my school, they will confirm it-" Tony had fights all the time at school. Surely it was recorded.

Gibbs glanced at Tony angrily. He stared as he did at his team, when they were really messing around and not doing a good job solving their cases. But Tony could withstand it. Gibbs felt that Tony was on edge but he could resist his stare. Fornell was right, that boy was stubborn.

"Tony! This is not only about you. This is about your sister living with an abusing father!" Gibbs shouted at him.

"My sister is alright, aren't you, Sofia?"

"Yes, I am."

Gibbs looked at Tony's sister, then he squat down to be on par with her.

"Sofia, I just want to help you. Please, don't be scared of me. I will help your brother. He had a really bad concussion. You can't let him fight your dad all the time. He will become ill. Don't you want to help him?"

The girl's eyes filled with tears. Tony hoped that Kelly's dad couldn't persuade her to tell the truth about the family. If she did… Gibbs would press charges; his dad would get his lawyers. Some people would lose their jobs … maybe their lives. After that Tony just had to hope that Mr. Dinozzo Sr. wouldn't beat up his sister, but him.

Tony could hear his sister gulp, than she answered, "I don't know what you are talking about, Mr. Special Agent Gibbs. My brother is alright. My daddy is the best daddy in the world, isn't he, Tony?"

"Yeah, absolutely." Tony affirmed smiling with an ironical tone. "So please, Agent Gibbs, would you mind leaving me and my family alone? We would like to celebrate our Christmas Day. I am sure that your family misses you, too."

Gibbs ignored Tony and tried to persuade Sofia again "Sofia, please, your brother is scared, so he told you not to tell me anything. But I can help you. Look at your brother; he can barely stand without clinging to the wall. His only chance is you telling me what your dad did to him."

Sofia started to cry. But Tony was proud of her: she was still able to lie "Tony, that man is scaring me. I don't know what he is talking about. Please, Tony, tell him to go away."

The little girl hid herself behind Tony's legs. Tony smirked about his sister performance. No wonder that she got the leading role in the play of her acting classes.

"You see, Mr. Gibbs. Leave our plot. Otherwise I will call the police."

Gibbs stared again at Tony, but this time the boy didn't even shrug. He just smiled.

"If you change your mind, call me, Tony. You can have my calling card."

"I don't need it, Agent Gibbs. Don't see a reason to call you."

Gibbs sighed. He was sure he hated that guy. Not only that he lied to him, but he made his cute little sister lie.

Gibbs turned around and just wanted to go as Tony asked "Have you told Kelly about that, yesterday?"

"No, I haven't. Yet."

"Please, don't tell her, Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs sneered.

"If you keep off my daughter."

Tony sighed.

"Alright, Sir."

At least Kelly wouldn't pity him.

Kelly woke up at about eleven o'clock. She was quite tired after staying awake so late. She turned her phone on and remembered that Tony sent her a message in the middle of the night. She sighed. What was she supposed to do? She liked him… Maybe she even loved him… But her dad and his team were right. Tony Dinozzo was not the kind of guy she should have as a boyfriend. He drank and smoked, he might even take drugs. He fought all the time without a reason, keeped skipping classes and he would most likely stay another year behind. But he was nice, brave and smart, too. Well, and good looking.

Kelly was quite surprised. She got eleven messages from Tony last night, but all with the same content. He asked her if she was awake and if he could sleep at her place. Kelly knew that Tony and his dad didn't come along that well, even though Tony never told her anything about his family.

Kelly decided to call Tony and to ask if he were alright:

"Tony?"

"Kelly! Sorry, that I sent you yesterday that many messages… Sorry about everything…"

"Tony, are you alright? You don't sound fine."

"Don't worry, I just woke up, I am fine, still sleepy. Yesterday, I was drunk, so I sent you many messages. I am sorry."

"You were drunk?"

"Yes. I am sorry."

"Well, you don't have to be sorry, Tony. But I think we can't be friends. You know, you are trouble and I really don't need trouble."

"But… Kelly…"

"See you in school, Tony."

Then she hanged up and started to cry.

Tony lay on his bed. Everything was in pain: his head, his body… even his heart.

But Tony Dinozzo never got anything in his life the easy way. Why should he get the girl he fall in love to without fighting?

He had to fight. The only problem was that he had no idea what to do. Actually Tony hoped that the FBI would finally get his father in prison. They were watching them since October. Well, at least that was the first time Tony actually noticed them. Tony smirked as he thought of how much taxpayer's money was spent on some high qualified agents watching him eating his breakfast.

Would they success?

If they would, everything would be perfect. Well, Tony didn't want to get a foster family, but there was a chance that he could live with his sister on his own as soon as he would attain full age.

Still Tony didn't believe in the federal agents to success. Yes, the FBI was powerful. But his father was more. And his father didn't care about legal framework. If someone was unpleasant, his dad would most likely kill him. That was how it worked.

"Anthony!"

Tony shrugged when he heard his father's voice above him. Tony stood up as fast as he could.

"Yes, Sir."

"I've got a business meeting today. You want to join me?"

Ever since Tony was fourteen, his dad asked him regularly to take part in his business. And Tony always refused. After that his father would beat him up.

"Yes, I want to, Sir."

"Well, if that's the case… wait… what did you say?"

"I want to join your business meeting."

"You want?"

"Yes."