Okay this was written so quickly, I have no idea what horrible grammatical mistakes are in here. I beg your forgiveness.
And wonderful job for everyone who guessed Clue correctly. I love that movie. :)
Chapter 3!
Tony tapped his foot impatiently while Abby waited for the computer to print out the bloodwork results.
"I don't need your negativity in here mister. You either need to learn to be patient or start figuring out how Gibbs was able to aim his timing." she eyed him critically. "He was never too early."
Tony sucked in his cheeks and reminded himself again and again that Abby wasn't who he was angry at.
"I'm working on Abs. There's only one Gibbs skill I can master at a time."
She sniffed and turned back to the computer.
He took a deep breath and stifled the cough and rose from the action. He hadn't been able to get out of his wet clothes for hours the night before. Once he had brought he evidence back to NCIS, gotten his properly categorized and assigned and called McGee to leave another message just in case the other agent came to crime scene expecting the find Tony it had been quite late. Then he had run into the early shift agents who had wanted to chat and he was never going to turn down the chance at friendly conversation.
By the time he got home his clothes had been nearly dry and he had barely the chance to shower before he needed to turn back around.
This was getting absolutely ridiculous.
He rubbed his chest gently, trying to relieve the ache and watching Abby carefully from the corner of his eye. He didn't think she would catch the action as she was focused on the picture of Gibbs hanging on the corner of the desk, but he didn't want to take the chance. The last thing he needed was someone fussing.
It didn't seem likely that anyone would, but he couldn't be too careful.
"Here we go. The blood on the end of wrench definitely belongs to your victim but we still don't have any hits on him. How is it the Navy doesn't have him filed. I thought it was protocol to have DNA on file once you joined?"
Tony leaned against the table, crossing his arms in front of himself and pressing them surreptitiously to his chest. Frowning he puzzled for a moment, studying the paper Abby handed him.
"Hmm… thanks Abs."
She smiled and watched him wander out of her lab, his eyes sharp and focused on the sheet in front of him.
She shook her head and turned back to the pictures scattered around her machines.
"He's trying Gibbs, but you need to come home. He's not you."
Xxx
"I'm not sure he's Navy."
McGee looked up from his computer and frowned.
"Pardon?"
Tony pointed to the paper and shook his head.
"Our victim. He may not be Navy. Or if he is it's possible he was AWOL. But that's facing some long odds."
Ziva leaned forward and stared at Tony curiously.
"Why do you say that?"
Tony pointed to the paper he had retrieved from Abby.
"He's HIV positive. That would have been picked up during a routine health check and logged. We can't find this guy anywhere and there's no way that wouldn't have been filed. That many people pressed together on a ship, the health risk is too great. So either he contracted it and didn't want anyone to know so he ran or he was never Navy to begin with and we have someone impersonating a sailor. Not to mention the fact that his fingerprints, dental work or blood work have come up a match. So either the Navy has made a serious paperwork snafu or he was never Navy to begin with."
Ziva frowned and stood, rounding her desk to look at the papers in Tony's hand.
"If he was Navy is it not possible that someone destroyed his records? Could this be a cover-up?"
Tony shrugged and tossed the papers on Gibbs' desk.
His desk. His desk damn it!
"That is an excellent question. I need you and McGee to head down to the docks. There is a ship there now that came in about a week ago to refuel and get new supplies. The timing would fit. Take our vic's picture, see if anyone's seen him or if anyone's missing. Maybe they can give us some answers."
McGee started to print out a picture but Ziva crossed her arms in front of herself and glared.
"And why cannot you do this? Tim and I have been here all morning while this is the first time we have seen you. Are you not planning to do any work today?"
Tony braced his feet and took a breath, ignoring the troubling way his chest ached at the motion.
"Excuse me Zeeeeva. But I in fact have been here for hours and I have my own leads to check out. Not to mention that what I do is none of your business and I am now your lead agent and you will follow my orders."
Ziva reared her head back and opened her mouth to reply but a call from above interrupted.
"Special Agent DiNozzo."
Tony didn't look away from Ziva, he continued to stare at her, his green eyes sparking.
"Yes director."
"My office."
"Yes 'mam. Just need to straighten something out with my team."
She didn't answer but he could hear the click of her heals on the tile as she walked back into her office.
"Go to the docks Agent David."
Ziva stepped closer to, her nose brushing his.
"You are not my leader Tony."
He looked down at her, trying not to let the sadness in his eyes show.
"I didn't ask to be your leader Ziva but right now I'm all you got."
She narrowed her eyes but stepped away, storming from the bullpen.
"I suggest you get a move on McGee. Doesn't look like she's waiting."
He started towards the director's office, ignoring the looks he could feel following him.
"Tony."
He turned slightly, looking down at McGee from partially up the steps.
"Yeah?"
"I… nothing. I'll see you later."
Tony watched him go curiously then shook his head. He shouldn't have lost his temper like that. That was wrong. He was supposed to take care of the team. Keep them safe and together. Driving them apart and adding to the stress of an already shaky situation wasn't going to help anyone.
He would find a way to make it up to Ziva.
But for now he had an expectant director to appease.
He paused outside of her door to straighten his button-up. It wasn't a suit. Hell it wasn't even a jacket. Pulling back his shoulders he smiled brightly.
He was confident.
He was competent.
He could do his job.
He hoped.
Tony knocked once on her door and then stepped in the darkly paneled room.
"Jenny?"
She smiled warmly at him but he kept his distance. He didn't trust the director. Not really. Not fully. Not when it came to this.
Not when it came to her judgement and his safety.
Not anymore.
"Hello Tony. How are you?"
"Wonderful and very busy. What can I do for you?"
She settled behind her desk and Tony was momentarily reminded of a bird resting on a nest. Smug and safe and completely in control.
"I'm looking for an update. Where are you with Jeanne? Is the relationship maturing? What does she know of her father's business? How close are you to meeting with him?"
Tony sighed and leaned against the business table in the center of the room. So much for this being a quick meeting.
"I'm progressing fine with Jeanne. I don't think she knows anything about what he father actually does. I think she's completely innocent in this. It would be best if we kept her out of it completely. Keep everything as clean as possible."
Jenny smiled knowingly and leaned back in her chair.
"You want to keep her out of it. Tell me Tony. Are you getting attached?"
Tony stiffened and coughed quietly into his hand.
"No. This is professional. I understand the mission. My viewpoint hasn't changed. I just don't think it is necessary to involve her with the takedown of her father. She isn't guilty of anything except loving a liar."
Tony looked away as he said this, trying not to hear the double application. Lies were wound into so much of Jeanne's life. Her father. Him. Everyone she loved made a living by lying to her. When the truth came out, would she ever recover?
Would she forgive him?
Could he ever forgive himself?
The director hummed distractedly.
"Regardless. How much longer until you meet with the Frog?"
Tony looked past her, staring out the window toward the bright fall day. The leaves were just beginning to change and the air was cool and brisk. The sky was that shade of blue that was so clean and bright that you couldn't bear to look away. He stared past the curtains and the streaked window pane.
"Soon. I'll meet with Benoit soon."
Xxx
Tobias stepped into the bullpen and glanced around the work area curiously. It was eerily quiet in the box of desks. Agents David and McGee were missing and their desks were oddly clean. DiNozzo's space was cluttered with papers and he stepped closer to get a better look. There were three different types of handwriting and some of it wasn't even legible. There were scattered cups half filled with coffee, a couple had mold beginning to form and he wrinkled his nose at it. He knew he had a habit of just grabbing whatever cup was closest and chugging the contents. He certainly hoped that DiNozzo didn't do the same.
He leaned closer to the surface and raised an eyebrow when he noticed a day log partially under the keyboard. Those numbers couldn't be right.
Glancing around himself to make sure no one was around, he slipped out his phone and snapped a photo.
Just to be sure.
"No Jeanne tomorrow sounds great. Yes eight. I got it. No I won't be late. Yes I promise. No lateness. I swear. I know. You too. Bye."
Tobias leaned against the desk and watched Tony enter the bullpen, snapped a phone closed and sliding it into his pocket. His hand was rubbing at his chest and his face was pale. The dark circles under his eyes were so intense that Fornell's mouth gaped slightly in surprise, wondering if the younger man actually found time to sleep.
Tony stretched, his eyes closed as his back popped loud enough for Tobias to hear across the room.
"A bit tense DiNozzo?"
Tony didn't open his eyes, but continued to stretch as he answered.
"Just limbering up." he shook himself briskly and sighed. Smiling wearily he greeted the FBI agent with confusion.
"What can I do for you Agent Fornell?"
Tobias stepped forward and offered a hand, stretching it across the empty space between them. Tony shook it hesitantly, utterly unsure of what was happening. Ever since the incident with Air Force One and the body bag on the highway, they had been anything but bosom buddies.
"I just wanted to speak to you about the other day, with Emily. I never got the chance to say thank you properly. I… I was… it...she..." Tobias took a breath and stood up straight, meeting the other agent's bemused eyes with determination. "I'm here to tell you you're eating dinner with Emily and I tonight to say thank you."
Tony blinked once and chuckled crossing his arms in front of his chest, trying desperately not to cough.
Not quite managing to hold it in, he managed to stifled it to a rough hem into his elbow as he backed away from Tobias.
"You're telling me I'm coming to dinner. Really Fornell, most of my dates aren't nearly as forceful. I'm not sure how I feel about the whole dominance thing."
Tobias smiled, seeing some of the lines of tension relax on Tony's face. He didn't know why DiNozzo looked so stressed or why seeing him like that bothered him so much, but he didn't like it.
"You'll be there and you'll like it. Besides, Emily was quite insistent. She convinced her mother to let her come back and everything and trust me, you can't make Diana do anything. You're coming over. My house. Seven o'clock. I trust you know your way by now?"
Tony smiled brightly and nodded.
"Okay Fornell. Seven o'clock. Sounds great. Wouldn't miss it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a maybe Navy man to bring to justice." He glanced up towards the balcony with an expression of mild disgust. "And a director to appease."
He bowed slightly at the waist and snatched a piece of paper from the desk before vanishing back towards the steps and to the office of Jenny Shepherd.
Tobias watched him go with intrigue. As far as he knew, DiNozzo had never interacted much with any of the directors. The MCRT, or Team Gibbs as everyone was likely to call them, seems to operate by their own rules and only Gibbs ever bothered with authority figures and that was usually just to tell them where to stick it.
Tobias rubbed his chin with interest. DiNozzo must be dealing with so many backlogged years of bureaucratic shit.
He did not envy the younger man his position. Fornell glanced back down at the man's desk and frowned. If his agents turned in case reports that looked like that he would kick their ass six ways to Sunday.
He chewed on his lip and wrinkled his brow, wondering just what was going on in the MCRT.
Xxx
Tony looked at the front door and swallowed hard.
This was a mistake.
A big mistake.
He should have said no.
But Tobias had been insistent and kind and he had been maybe too eager to speak to someone who didn't want something from him and who wasn't angry or disappointed with him and the idea of a nice quiet evening with people who might just like him for no other reason than the fact that he had done a nice thing was just too tempting for him to say no.
But he was dirty and tired and probably wasn't suited for nice company. He had ended up at the docks himself after McGee had called in frustrated and worried about Ziva's temper. He had forgotten his coat in the office as he had been forced to rush from the director's office immediately to his car to make sure Ziva didn't start an incident and then spent the day in the cold air chasing down sailers by himself while Ziva and McGee did more research.
Or at least he assumed they were doing research. When he got back to the office they were gone.
He honestly believed McGee did, at least his desk looked like he had been there a while.
He didn't know what to do.
He knew Gibbs wanted the team to stay together. More than anything he would have fought to keep the team as a working unit and he was not going to be the reason it failed.
He was going to keep them together.
It didn't matter if Gibbs didn't remember that once upon a time they mattered to him. One day he will. One day he will remember that he does have a family and whether he comes back or not, he'll see they're still together.
And it'll matter.
They'll get things worked out.
They will.
Tony closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the door.
He was so tired.
He could leave.
Get back in his car, drive away. Sleep for hours and hours.
Ignore the burn in his chest and the ache in his head and the ever constant pounding behind his eyes that started the moment Gibbs handed him his badge and hadn't stopped for two damn months.
But that wasn't right.
And he wouldn't do that to Emily.
Tobias? Well...maybe.
But not Emily.
He took a deep breath and pulled himself back.
Smile Tony. Bright and happy. You can do this. You always do this. Just for a couple hours. Just a few more hours. This will be nice. Just dinner with...friends. Dinner with friends.
He knocked on the door and almost immediately it swung open.
"Hi Tony!"
Emily grabbed his spare hand and pulled him in, already chatting away as she led him through the house.
"-and that's the hallway and that's the broom closet but there are no brooms. Daddy's bad with brooms."
Tony grinned and squeezed Emily's hand gently.
"I'm pretty bad with brooms too."
"I'm not bad with brooms. I just don't need them. Dust doesn't enter this house."
Tony grinned when he saw Tobias standing in the kitchen with a red apron around his waist. Childish fingerprints in flaking paint was scattered over the fabric, from tiny fingerprints to thinner fingers, Tony could practically count the years of Emily's life on the apron skirt.
It was nice.
A little unsure of what to do with himself he offered out the pan he carried.
"Cake. Um… chocolate. Nothing special but..." he glanced down at Emily then back to an amused looking Tobias and cleared his throat. "Yeah. Chocolate cake."
Tobias smiled at him and pointed to a free spot on the counter.
Tony set it down and knocked his hands together nervously for a moment before Emily grabbed his wrist and dragged him to the table.
"Daddy said it'll be a little bit, do you want to play a game?"
Tony nodded and smiled as the little girl ran from the room, braids trailing behind her.
"She's sweet."
Tobias nodded from his place at the stove.
"Yes she is DiNozzo. The only good thing to come from Diana and I. Wouldn't trade her for anything."
Tony heard her come clattering back down a flight of steps and leaned back in his chair.
"I love Candyland."
She glowed up at him and Fornell smiled at him approvingly and Tony felt something cold and edgy inside himself relax.
This was a good decision.
Xxx
"And then to get away from the dog I had to jump a fence which landed me right in the middle of a street. I ran into a suburban and when I bounced back, I hit our suspect. Knocked him straight over."
Emily laughed at Tony's pantomime and Tobias smiled, but something inside of him twitched. Tony had been regaling him with stories of his most interesting crimes from the past few months (all of them kid friendly and very humorous in respect for Emily) but something but each of them had bothered him. He just hadn't been able to put his finger on it. It wasn't like he disbelieved him, no, he really did believe that DiNozzo was quite honest. It was something else.
"Tony?"
The younger man looked up, his tired eyes lighting up at the use of his first name. He had requested about half way through dinner that Tobias stop using DiNozzo in favor of Tony and it had done wonders in helping the other agent relax. Especially once Tobias had asked him to return the favor.
Oh Tobias wasn't stupid.
He could see the stress and worry and tension coming off Tony the moment he stepped through the door.
He didn't know what was causing it, but if something as simple as a first name could help relieve it, then so be it.
"Yes Tobias?"
"Where has Agent McGee when this happened?"
Tony's eyes shuttered.
"He was following another lead."
"And David?"
Tony's lips twitched and a dark shadow passed over his face.
"Ziva has her own way of wrapping a case."
Tobias nodded, glancing down at Emily was enraptured with the other man. He didn't want to get into a serious conversation with him now, not when things could get uncomfortable, but he could tell that something wasn't quite adding up.
Two somethings actually.
Tony looked abruptly uneasy and his hand was drifting towards his chest. He had been doing that most of the night, rubbing unconsciously at his chest and wincing when he looked anywhere near direct light.
"May I use your restroom please?"
He nodded and pointed down the hall, pushing down the feeling of trouble when Tony hurried to the little room.
"Is Tony okay daddy?"
Fornell nodded, his eyes watching the closed door carefully.
"He's fine sugar. Just tired."
"Tony's really nice."
Tobias smiled at her and ruffled braided hair affectionately.
"Yes he is, he's-"
He stopped abruptly and stood hearing the strangled noises from the bathroom.
"Emily stay here."
He ran down the hall and banged on the bathroom door.
"Tony? DiNozzo? Tony! Are you alright?"
Not hearing anything else but the horrible coughing the tried the knob and was surprised to find it unlocked.
He pushed his way int the room and his jaw swung open when he saw the younger man. Tony was bent at the waist, his arms curled around his chest protectively. His face was white and the edges of his lips were tinged blue.
He lurched forward and grabbed the agent's shoulders, easing him down so he sat on the edge of the closed lid of the toilet.
"Breathe Tony. You're alright, I'm going to get you some help. Just breathe."
Tobias rubbed his hand up and down his back gently and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. He didn't know what was going on but he was calling a doctor.
Right now.
He was dialing when a shaking hand grabbed his wrist, stopping the nomotion.
"No- I'm… I'm fine."
Tobias stared down at him in shock.
Fine was not the word he would choose to use.
"Tobias. I'm okay. Just a cough. They hit pretty hard every once in a while. But I'm okay. I promise. I'm alright."
Fornell closed the phone slowly and lowered himself down so he could see into Tony's eyes.
"Honestly. Don't even consider lying to me right now. What is going on? Are you alright?"
Tony smiled slightly, the edge of his mouth just barely pulling up.
"Honestly. Was out in the rain a little too long, ran around in the cold all day. My lungs have been… shaky for the past couple years. I'm okay. Just need some rest."
Tobias chewed on his cheek and helped the other man up.
"You need to see a doctor."
Tony nodded.
"I'll check in with Ducky first thing tomorrow. I'm awfully sorry, didn't mean to be a bother. I'll get out of your hair."
Tony started out of the tiny bathroom but Tobias grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back in.
"Whoa there. Wait a minute. Who said anything about you leaving? You have nothing to apologize for. Sit your butt back on my couch we haven't had dessert yet."
Tony looked at him in surprise and Tobias smiled at him gently.
"Emily would be upset to see you go so abruptly. Frankly so would I. You've been good company. It's been nice having you. We'd like you to stay a while longer if you don't mind."
Tony smiled, bright and happy, and nodded shyly.
"I'd love to stay a bit. But I won't impose much longer."
Tobias shoved him gently back towards the living room.
"You're not imposing."
He followed Tony into the living room and smiled when the younger man sank on the couch next to his daughter.
"You okay Tony?"
Tony smiled at her kindly.
"I'm just perfect Em."
Fornell waved from the doorway.
"Help me with the cake Emily."
She dashed after her father and into the kitchen happily joking with her dad while they scooped the dessert on plates.
Carrying her and Tony's cake carefully she started back into the room but stopped before entering the living room, almost causing Tobias to run into her.
"Emily?"
"Tony's asleep daddy."
Tobias looked up and smiled, amused.
Tony was out like a light on their couch. Still sitting up, his hands in his lap and chin on his chest.
Dead asleep.
"Yes he is."
Tobias stepped forward and pulled the blanket off his recliner. He draped it carefully over the NCIS agent and guided Emily out of the room.
"Let's let him sleep sweetie. He looks like he needs it."
Emily climbed onto the counter and bit into her cake, chocolate coating her cheeks.
"Tony's really nice."
Tobias looked into the living room and grinned.
"Yes. Yes he is."