The taxi pulled up outside the quaint family home set in the middle of the normally quiet suburban street. His gaze followed the small, well-manicured lawn leading visitors up to the welcoming porch and Tony felt a small pang of nostalgia. Just twenty-four hours ago he'd run out of his father's old house without looking back, intent on putting as much space between him and the memories as humanly possible, but now the edgy feeling that had followed him to the hospital and continued to plague him on the plane home this morning was gone. Unsurprisingly it wasn't until they'd pulled onto this street, in front of this house that the tight feeling in his chest disappeared, muscles relaxing all of a sudden and he could breathe easily for the first time in days.
The smell off barbeques hit his nostrils the minute Tony opened the taxi door, feet hitting the sidewalk. Of course, it was the 4th of July and as should be expected the numerous families who occupied the neighbourhood were celebrating with the traditional chargrilled food and ice bucketed beer.
"You gonna to stand staring all day DiNozzo or actually go inside?" Gibbs shouted at him from the other side of the car as he paid the cabbie his due.
The boss was not happy, hadn't been since last night. No sleep would make the average person irritable, no sleep and no coffee was enough to push Gibbs to the edge of his already limited patience. Tony knew he'd been more than a little difficult over the last few days, but the passed twenty-four hours had to be his starring moment of the whole affair, surpassing his encompassed needy behaviour so far by miles. Hell then entire Paediatric ward had more strength and fortitude than he'd had last night.
Sensing Gibbs glaring at him to get a move on Tony stood tall and shaking off the self-depreciative thoughts put on a wide smile, nodded and made his way up the path onto the porch.
"Honey I'm home!" He shouted to no one, swinging open the door.
"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god," Abby screamed, taking him by surprise.
She came running at him out of Gibbs' kitchen and had him locked in one of her special hugs before he even crossed the threshold, Ducky and Palmer following her at a much more sedate pace.
"Abby-" he squeaked, "- can't - breathe!"
"Sorry," she loosened her arms, but only slightly. "Why didn't you call, I would have picked you up from the airport!"
"Boss was angsty, might have shot someone if we didn't get gone asap," he winked cheekily at everyone in the room, trying not to feel like he was on display. "So… miss me?"
"Of course," she squealed hitting him playfully in the arm, to which he completely over reacted by looking wounded. "What happened? I hope you realise you had me worried sick!"
"All of us my dear boy," Ducky interjected before Abby could start her no doubt well-meaning, yet still very chastising over-protective rant. "But we are very glad to see you none the less." He added with a grandfatherly smile.
"Thanks Ducky," Tony smiled gratefully back at him and Jimmy over Abby's shoulder.
.
Gibbs took his time paying the fare, keeping one concerned eye on his wallet and the other on DiNozzo. The kid, he couldn't think of Tony as anything else after the night they'd had, was staring at his house like it was the holy covenant. He didn't want to rush him, but gave him a little nudge regardless, lest they end up standing outside all day. Once he was spurred into action, walking up the path into the house, Gibbs relaxed somewhat and watching the cab pull away allowed himself a moment's reflection before walking inside to face the crowd he knew was waiting judging by the familiar cars parked down the street.
"You're home earlier than expected," Ducky addressed Gibbs casually when he eventually walked through the door.
"Yep," He barged past the two still stood blocking the doorway, throwing Tony's hospital bag filled with his discharge papers and meds onto the couch. "He wouldn't stop crying and whining so the doc's let him go out of pity."
"Boss!" Tony spun around, looking mortified.
Gibbs turned away well aware Ducky had been referring to their earlier flight time not Tony's discharge and chuckled silently, hiding his smile behind a raised hand. He could see the others smiling too, as could Tony of course, who turned to address them.
"I did not whine." He said bluntly, expression resolute, chin high.
Gibbs rolled his eyes and smothered another grin.
"Come outside, got a surprise for you," Abby shrugged, ignoring his fake posturing altogether and dragged Tony away, her initial annoyance with him for not calling completely forgotten.
As they left, disappearing though his kitchen door Gibbs shared a brief but serious look with Ducky, then turned his glare onto his assistant, a mere glance in his direction had the kid jumping to follow the pair out. Gibbs smiled to himself as soon as his back was turned, Palmer reminded him a little of DiNozzo sometimes.
"How is he really?" Ducky got straight to the point as soon as they were alone.
Gibbs huffed, walking over and kicking the door shut, before dropping himself onto the sofa considering an answer.
"Doing okay," he spoke eventually, staring thoughtfully at the empty fire place.
The succinct answer wasn't satisfactory however and Ducky's gentle enquiring gaze took his mind back to the events of last night. He had hoped after all the excitement Tony would be altogether too tired to over think events, as he tended to do when things got personal, but even after being put through test after test, bloods, blood pressure you name it he still couldn't rest. You'd have thought three nights of either no or broken sleep would be enough to put anyone in coma, but not Tony. He was as wide awake as ever after his brief nap earlier that morning while waiting to be seen and that only spelled trouble for anyone charged with his care.
"We could play cards?"
"I don't want to play cards DiNozzo." Gibbs groused, feet up on the bed, eyes closed.
"Gin?"
He opened one eye lid a squint and glared the best he could to indicate he was seriously pushing it.
"How about you shut up," Gibbs said bluntly, "and let those of us who haven't slept in twenty-four hours because they were tracking down a certain someone who decided to break protocol - rest."
"Wow boss," Tony looked at him wide eyed and clueless to his point, "that's the most I've heard you say in one go. You feeling okay? Maybe you should take the bed, I'm-"
"If you say you're fine once more… I WILL shoot you DiNozzo." Gibbs said pointing one finger at him, head back and eyes closed once again.
Tony's face fell, thinking Gibbs wasn't watching him. If he ignored it he thought Tony would probably stay quiet, get lost in his thoughts and eventually fall asleep. That idea didn't sit well with Gibbs though and a twinge in his chest only expatiated how bad he felt about placing his own wellbeing first. Wishing he really was as much of a bastard as he pretended to be Gibbs dropped his feet, stood up and sat on the bed.
When Tony didn't react to the mattress decompressing and continued to stare down at his entwined hands looking forlorn a well-placed finger under his chin had Gibbs raising his eyes to meet his.
"Talk to me." He ordered not unkindly.
The slight widening of bright green eyes was the only indication of Tony's surprise. He really was an excellent undercover agent; Gibbs just hoped no one else at NCIS found that out, because outside of the odd sting to get information on a case deep undercover work was not a sector he ever wanted Tony involved in. His experience's teaching him that it wasn't a safe profession for anyone, let alone someone who he cared so much about.
Tony was looking at him quizzically now, and if he wasn't so tired Gibbs himself would have laughed out loud at his own disbelief at him asking someone else to talk, but he was tired and despite all evidence to the contrary he really did care. So he held the gaze and waited for Tony to open up.
"How did you know to follow me to the evidence garage?" Tony asked him carefully, dropping his gaze back to the sheets as if scared of the answer.
"My gut, I knew you'd try something idiotic." Gibbs replied immediately, despite being surprised by the question. Tony wasn't the only one excellent at undercover work and Ducky hadn't been wrong to say they were very much alike, in more ways than anyone would think too.
"No that's not it." Tony shook his head confidently, "if it was you'd have had Kate lock me in the head. What did my father tell you?"
"What makes you think I went to see your father?" Gibbs countered, catching and holding Tony's calculating gaze.
Tony returned his look with one that said 'Boss, please,' with all the cocky air DiNozzo exuded on almost a daily basis.
24 hours earlier…
Storming into interrogation after leaving Tony distraught in the head Gibbs was livid; his anger with him fuelling his desire to take Senior, the man who in Gibbs' mind caused all of this by being an inattentive father, to the cleaners. He hadn't meant to go in guns blazing and had planned to tone it down until Senior asked for a deal, forcing Gibbs to get up in his face, demanding he tell him exactly what he wanted to know.
"Tell Tony… tell my son," Senior corrected, "despite how crappy a dad I was to him, I really did love him like my own."
The words grated Gibbs' ears and he fell back in his chair, staring at Senior across the table.
"Just talk." He instructed tiredly.
Senior either didn't clue into the hostile tone or was ignoring it. "I know you think poorly of me for leaving my son home alone Gibbs, but things were different back then. We could leave our doors unlocked, Kids would play alone in the park until all hours, we'd even let them walk the streets at night without fear. It was perfectly safe."
"I'm sure David Berkowitz's victims would disagree with you." Gibbs said mildly.
"Yes there were the Berkowitz's and John Wayne Gacy's of the world, but those are extreme's to say the least, surely you wouldn't shelter your own child every time a new serial killer made the news." Senior guffawed as if Gibbs was an overbearing irrational first time parent.
"No," Gibbs held in his annoyance at Senior's arrogance by gritting his teeth and disguising it with a smile, "but then I also wouldn't abandon my child in a hotel room for several days."
Senior's face hardened at the perceived dig. "He was twelve and more than capable of looking after himself, what's the big deal?"
"The big deal Mr DiNozzo is that you have a history of dumping Tony whenever and wherever you want."
"It's in the past. I don't see its relevance now."
"No, you're right," Gibbs shrugged, "if Tony was still in your care I'd have you up on neglect charges and children's services would have removed him from your home so fast there wouldn't have been a chance for him to get caught up in this mess you have him in now."
Gibbs glared at senior, his point made clear.
"Being a father never came naturally to me Gibbs and I'm sorry for that. I wanted to be a good role model to the boy, but-" Senior stopped abruptly. "I was wrong, there's no excuse."
The sudden about face had Gibbs edgy, but he wasn't going to question too much the inner workings of this sad man who held the key to saving one of the few people Gibbs really cared about.
"Tony does know where the money is Gibbs, and I know this because I gave it to him."
Senior spoke so casually Gibbs almost missed the point of what he said. "When?"
"My wife's family were putting pressure on us, I needed the money. So when Miller discovered the FBI handler had found out what his mole had done I came up with my own contingency plan. Admittedly my greed got the better of me and had I shared the plan things might not have gone so badly, but as we've already come to terms, we cannot change the past."
"You're saying you knew someone would be coming for the money and instead of dealing with the threat you used your six year old son to hide it?"
Senior nodded. "I'm not proud."
"You made him a target!" Gibbs leapt out of his chair, so angry he had to step away to pace the farthest corner of the room to prevent himself being brought up on chargers.
"Gibbs my mistakes are clear, but the point is Miller knows the truth! After everything died down I told him I'd given Tony the codes that would release the money, but by then it was too late, Tony had forgotten everything and we searched the house, but couldn't find it anywhere."
"Did he know?" Gibbs asked plainly.
"What it was? No," Senior shook his head, "I just told him it was precious and he should put it somewhere safe. Unfortunately knowing my son as he got older I realised he could well have buried it."
"But there was nothing you could do because the FBI took the house before you found it."
He didn't know what to think now, and his anger was clouding every useful thought he had.
"Tony should be fine. He doesn't remember and Miller knows that." Senior sat back with a sense of superiority seeming firm in his belief nothing could go wrong.
Gibbs wasn't so sure, shaking his head trying to block Senior out. A terrible thought then occurred to him and sent him into a tail spin. "He's been watching us."
Miller had been watching them, keeping tabs, so he'd likely know about the hypnotist. DiNozzo had nearly collapsed in the head just now… in pain, a headache like he had after experiencing the nightmare, like the headache he'd had after Mary had pushed too far… he was remembering and Miller was just waiting and biding his time, pushing ever so slightly waiting for the memory's to return. He wouldn't need to kidnap Tony, he'd wait for the curiosity and desperation to get the better of him and …
Looking pale and distressed Gibbs ran out the door upon remembering the reason why Tony had pissed him off so expertly just minutes ago. He only hoped he wasn't a step too late.
Present…
"Ah," Tony breathed out and slumped into his narrow hospital bed.
"That's all you got to say?" Gibbs pushed teasingly, not really expecting much.
The silence dragged out and benign to saying anything else Gibbs leaned over and patted Tony's soft recently washed hair. Upon his admittance the staff nurse had taken one look at the blood matted in the brunette strands and insisted he wash. Thankfully a pretty little thing in a rather tight skirt introduced herself as a PA and provided all the assistance DiNozzo required, giving him leave to seek out coffee. If Gibbs had known that was the only reprieve he'd be getting all night he would have stocked up.
Tony looked up at him through damp eyelashes and Gibbs mentally cheered at his victory. He remained sitting on the bed though, because despite being happy Tony was safe and he was secure, he could see they were nowhere near done dealing with the fallout.
So he waited and waited and waited… then his patience eventually paid off. Tony opened his mouth to speak.
"How about Go Fish?"
They had ended up playing with the damn deck of cards, Tony employing every avoidance tactic in the book to stop Gibbs from leaving his seat. Even his one trip to the head was met with twenty questions and a time limit.
Gibbs heard Ducky chuckle upon hearing that part, obviously amused by the image. Having finished telling the abridged but still rather long tale of lasts night's events Gibbs looked away from the fire to see him sat in the chair opposite, listening attentively.
"It's going to take time, Jethro." He counselled.
Gibbs nodded slowly in agreement, letting a light relieved smile touch his lips, "He isn't going anywhere."
Saying the words out loud felt good. There'd been moments in this debacle where he'd thought they'd lose Tony for good, and knowing it was over, that they'd survived, really made him appreciate what he had despite inconvenient spells in hospital.
"I'm very pleased to hear it Jethro," Ducky smiled too, like he'd heard his thoughts. "I admit when you said they were keeping him in I expected the worst."
"Doc's wanted to give him another head scan is all," Gibbs quickly set him straight, "Couldn't fit him in until this morning, I took that as a good sign."
"They didn't find anything causing the headaches?"
"Not even a concussion," Gibbs ran a hand over his tired face.
"That's good. I'd imagine they were stress induced, the hypnotherapy acting as a catalyst. I take it he hasn't suffered any major episodes since you've been with him? Otherwise I would have some words about his discharged." Ducky regarded him with a raised eyebrow.
Gibbs blinked himself awake and matched the look. "I wouldn't have survived another night." He said straight.
They shared a moment's silent understanding and left it at that. Though he was sure Ducky hadn't missed his oblique side step of the actual question.
"So it's Sunday, what are you all doing here?" Gibbs swiftly began a new line of conversation, pushing himself off the sofa to enter the kitchen and flick the switch on his coffee maker.
"Well Kate called this morning and informed us you were making your way back via JKF. There wasn't one of us that could wait until tomorrow to see our boy home safely," Ducky followed acceptingly. "In fact she and McGee should be here any minute actually."
"Here?" Gibbs repeated, looking surprised.
He didn't know if he'd missed something and just needed sleep or what, but couldn't fathom why everyone was converging on his house on a Sunday.
"Abigail's idea Jethro and we heartily agreed. Tony needs to know he has a real family." Ducky winked and walked away indicating Gibbs should follow.
Stepping out onto his back porch, the bright July sun beating down making him shade his eyes he found Palmer, Abby and Tony standing around a recently lit barbeque.
"Happy 4th of July!" Abby cheered, looking very proud of herself in her white and red frilly piny.
Gibbs looked to the left, gaze drawn to the uniquely decorated in red, white and blue skulls and cross bones picnic table. Now he understood. It was the holiday weekend. Smiling Gibbs walked over and showed Abby his appreciation.
"Hey!" Tony called from somewhere behind them, where they couldn't see him. "This for me?"
Looking all around the yard, it appeared he'd snuck back inside when Gibbs had been giving Abby a kiss for doing what she did best - remembering the important things.
"Why'd you have to be so nosy, DiNozzo?" Abby stomped over to him, hands on hips.
"It's my job." He answered automatically, not taking his eyes off the cake box he held with both hands.
"It's for later." She snapped, with a smile teasing her lips.
"It is isn't it?" Tony grinned excitedly.
"Gibbs!" She cried in mock outrage, calling him in as adjudicator.
"Let him have it Abs," he called back to her, reaching into an ice bucket filled with cold beer, "you know he won't stop asking."
She eyed him accusingly then turned back to DiNozzo and his pleading smile.
"Oh, okay," Abby relented with little fight, making Gibbs laugh. Taking the box from him and placing it on the table for all to see she mustered her usual amount of extra enthusiasm for special occasions. "So… happy 4th of July and happy birthday, Tony!"
"In four days." Palmer added cheekily.
Tony grinned broadly at the chocolate cake, pulling out his belt knife just as Kate and McGee walked in.
"Hope we're not too late." She greeted, holding a bottle of wine.
"I'm starving!" McGee ran passed everyone gathered around the back porch, heading for the food table.
"You're just in time for cake," Tony grinned, cutting through the soft sponge and helping himself to a slice just before Abby confiscated it to take inside and divide up properly.
"Your birthday's not for another four days," Kate poked him, giving him the evil eye.
"You know DiNozzo and food, he just couldn't wait." Gibbs said to her as he passed them to walk back inside.
Leaving McGee to raid the picnic table and Kate to give Tony a hard time he came up behind Abby, handing her a proper kitchen knife. The cake looked nice and thinking that he couldn't remember the last time he ate, poked a finger in the icing.
"No touching." Abby slapped his hand away.
"Ducky tells me this was all your doing." He said seriously.
"Too much?" Abby stopped what she was doling and turned to look at him.
"No," he said confidently, gaze drifting outside. "Just what he needed."
Tony was putting a now empty ice bucket on McGee's head and handing Kate his baseball bat which Gibbs had confiscated one day in the office after Tony had tried something similar with one of Pacci's Probie's. Gibbs, never one to be easily surprised, was actually at a loss on this occasion and promptly turned away, if McGee's many degrees couldn't teach him this was a bad idea then he was on his own.
"I owe him." Abby spoke up quietly, focus still on the cake she was cutting into thick slices, clearly hearing his question before he had chance to ask. "His first Christmas with us," she continued without pause, "I was still upset over my mom, didn't think I'd be celebrating ever again, but then he somehow convinced you of all people to have us all for dinner and that was an occasion I just couldn't miss."
She waved the frosting covered knife under his nose, a twinkle in her eye.
"Still not telling ya Abs," he laughed, shaking his head.
Three Christmas' past and he'd not shared with anyone what Tony had done to make him change his usual Christmas plans from basement and bourbon to allowing Ducky to cook in his kitchen for the four of them.
"Well," she groused good naturedly, "it was the best. And I owe him because if he hadn't been so annoyingly persistent and worn you down I wouldn't have enjoyed that Christmas or probably any Christmas ever again."
Hearing Abby speak openly wasn't new, Abby spoke her mind every day, but hearing the almost sad note of unashamed honesty in her voice was rare. Tony had done something for Abby he may not even be aware of and that was a special gift in of itself.
"He does have his ways," Gibbs breathed thankfully, helping her plate up the cut cake.
.
"I still need to find my PDA." Kate moaned to McGee, helping herself to some salad.
The day was beautiful, sun beating down on them, not a cloud in the tantalising blue sky. It made for the perfect end to an incredibly hectic second half of the week and she intended to lap it up despite her remaining woes.
"You going to head back to Anacostia?" McGee asked with a mouthful of yet more chips.
"I don't know what to do." Kate shook her head, not bothering to comment on his manners.
While she was repeating to McGee how important everything on that PDA was Tony, who was lying down on the grass facing the sky, a pair of army style sunglasses on that definitely weren't his covering his eyes, turned his head in their general direction.
"Maybe you should just claim off the insurance, you know tell them you broke it?"
"Because I didn't break it and I'm not the type to commit insurance fraud Tony" She walked over and loomed, blocking the sun. "What did you do?"
The accusation came easily, because even though Kate couldn't see his eyes, his body language screamed guilty guilty guilty and this wouldn't be the first time she'd caught him snooping through her things.
"I kinda broke it." Tony half sat up, leaning back on his elbows and lifted the shades to sit on top of his head, showing her his wide and apologetic green eyes.
"How?" Kate's hands went to her hips, casting a rather imposing shadow over him.
"I didn't mean too," Tony cocked his head, "but while you were interviewing that couple in Anacostia I tried to crack your password again, which by the way I feel offended that you think you need, and I accidently locked you out. I knew you'd know it was me so I tried to do a McGee, was going to break in and reset it but I couldn't put it back together, soooo…"
"Sooo where is it now?" The words were tense and Kate was only just holding her fist back.
"It's probably still under the front seat of the sedan." He replied meekly, rightly shrinking away from her.
"Why didn't you say anything?" She snatched his NCIS hat off his head and hit him with it. "I've been going crazy looking for it!"
"Well the whole 'Dad's a liar kidnapping thing' distracted me." He said without blinking.
Kate narrowed her gaze, feeling he'd used the one thing she really couldn't pick on him for and stomped off towards the car that was still parked out front. "I will kill you DiNozzo!"
.
Tony laughed easily at her indignation as she stormed off and lay back down. Just as he was lowering the sunglasses back over his eyes Gibbs walked passed, snatching them off his head and slipping them in his pocket.
"Sorry boss," he said automatically, shrugging at McGee who was looking at him and shaking his head.
Gibbs smiled once he knew they couldn't see him and walked over to stand at the quieter side of the yard. Abby had followed him out and was immediately mobbed for the cake by Tony and McGee so he enjoyed a couple of minutes quiet before Kate re-entered the yard and walked over to him, recently filled wine glass in hand.
"I don't know how you do it Gibbs." She uttered before taking a long sip, standing at his side surveying the yard.
Gibbs raised an eyebrow and waited. He knew she'd been to retrieve her broken PDA from the sedan and expected her to begin telling him all about DiNozzo's lack of respect for privacy and demanding he do something about it, but instead she passed him another beer, which he gratefully accepted and began her handover of what he'd missed by remaining in Long Island with Tony.
"So we got the gate guard who'd been allowing Miller access. Just a guy looking to make a quick buck, spilled all the details as soon as we mentioned the possibility of federal prison. He's been fired with chargers pending. As for the kidnapping he wasn't involved."
"What about those that were involved?"
"Miller's still in hospital, under FBI guard, but they're not sure if he'll wake up. Bell was immediately transferred to a high security mental hospital, somewhere out of state. Whatever he knows they don't want him sharing," Kate gave him a look that he assumes she wore a lot while protecting the president. "I've tried to get answers but no one's talking. They're acting as if he doesn't exist."
She reported it all very quietly, almost as if mention of anything from the last few days would spoil the jovial mood they attainted. Gibbs looked thoughtfully around his usually uneventful yard. Ducky was seated on the only available chair in the shade. Palmer, Abby, Tim and Tony were all crowded around the BBQ laughing at whatever story DiNozzo was telling.
"They want to hide their mistakes." Gibbs sighed.
He pretty much knew it would end this way, with them locked out. Wilkes spun a good tail, and though Gibbs still felt he'd up hold his promise to see those responsible for the original fuck up twenty-five years ago brought to justice, he had a feeling it wouldn't be his kind of justice. Wilkes was just mad because he was taking the flak for an operation he had no part in.
"What about the girl, Shauna?" Gibbs slurred the name like the very syllables offended his sense of being.
"They've allowed her to sit with her father for now…" Kate looked to her shoes, swallowed and faced him again, "she hasn't been formally charged."
"What?!" He spat, turning to stare her down.
"Apparently their not convinced she wasn't a victim too," Kate gave him a look that said she was in no doubt Shauna would sell out her comatose father in order to escape a jail sentence. "Of course the fact that she's not only privy to pretty much everything the FBI did wrong twenty-five years ago but may also be able to help them locate the missing money, doesn't hurt her chances of getting away with it."
Gibbs shook his head and took a long drink of his rapidly warming beer. Not if he had a say in things.
"We need to interrogate her Gibbs, get the truth. Tony deserves that if nothing else." Kate said with determination.
His first instinct was to drive like a bat out of hell over to the Hoover building and give Fornell an ear full about what was in the FBI's best interests if they ever wanted to work a case with NCIS again, but after one look around at the crowd enjoying themselves in his back yard, under the golden sunshine, he decided it could wait another day.
"She'll keep." He announced casually, surprising Kate.
"What about Mr DiNozzo?" Ducky came up on their left, having sneakily listened in on their hushed discussion.
"He was released yesterday," Kate informed him on what Gibbs already knew with regret, "FBI's offered him a deal."
Gibbs jaw clenched upon only hearing the words again. McGee had called late last night, no doubt drawing the short straw, and informed him the director's hand had been forced by SecNav to hand Senior over in a show of agency cooperation. Luckily he was outside getting some air while Tony was being medicated by two young good looking nurses, so he was able to healthily vent his anger at his empty coffee cup instead of taking it out on the one person who really didn't deserve it. He'd only narrowly avoided punching a wall when he heard the words deal and DiNozzo in the same sentence. A call to Morrow did nothing except high-light just how pissed off he was, but Tom was a good guy, told him to calm down and take as much time as he needed, and that the FBI had this so he was to butt out. There wasn't much point in arguing with the head of NCIS and Gibbs knew to pick his battles. He'd been allowed to keep in the thick of it while his DiNozzo was in trouble and he owed Morrow for that concession at least.
"Does Tony know?" Ducky asked them worriedly.
"Not yet, but he will." Gibbs wasn't looking forward to that conversation.
.
"Abby says you've got to try this." McGee announced dubiously, walking up to the gathering of three with a plate of burgers.
"Er Timothy-" Ducky started, mesmerised by the thick green sauce oozing out one side of each bun.
"You don't want to know Ducky, believe me." He managed with a forlornly straight face.
"Have you tried it yet?" Abby bounced up, grabbing hold and pulling down on McGee's shoulders.
"They look…" Kate started.
"Lovely my dear, I'm sure." Ducky took a burger off McGee as did Kate.
McGee looked expectantly at Gibbs, who glared.
"Okay then," He handed the plate over to Kate and left quickly.
Looking to see where Tony and Palmer had disappeared to, hoping to join them if it meant he didn't have to eat Abby's aunt's weird vegetable burger sauce, McGee jumped when she tapped him on the shoulder.
"You didn't try one Timmy," Abby blocked his path with the plate, a burger oozing green stuff sat in the middle.
He looked at it and tried to smile, but couldn't quite pull it off. Over her shoulder he could see Kate and Ducky collecting Ducky's burger and walking back into the house, most likely to dispose of it. Wishing he could be more like Tony right now and just tell her he wouldn't eat her disgusting creation McGee struggled to think up a good enough excuse not to try it. Of course when Tony said anything insulting he really seemed to have no idea why he shouldn't be saying it. For such a social guy he was actually quite awkward, and now McGee thought about it, he was pretty clueless of etiquette when it came to interacting with anyone he didn't want to sleep with. It was almost like Tony believed everyone else was mad and he was the only sane person. McGee guessed that's why crazy people never really saw themselves as crazy.
Just as he thought he might have to put the green thing in his mouth McGee caught sight of Tony and Palmer walking out of the house to settle down on the porch step. Tony was rifling through his pockets, eventually pulling out a slip of paper and showing Palmer. The action sparked a memory of just the other day, Tony sat in the van with him reading the note Gibbs had written before they'd arrested his father at the Adams House.
Snapping his gaze back to Abby, McGee asked the question.
"What's rule 8?"
"Never take anything for granted McGee." Gibbs answered, surprising them both.
He slipped between them and walked away, leaving the yard by the entrance at the side of the house.
"Where's he going?" McGee asked curiously.
Abby shrugged and frowned, looking concerned.
.
Tony finally found what it was he was looking for folded in his back pocket.
"See this," he showed Palmer with excitement. "This is the inside of my brain."
Tony presented his brain scan as proudly as a kid who'd been given a gold star for not getting in trouble all week.
"Wow, it's like the secrets of the universe being unveiled," Palmer laughed, taking the paper and turning it the correct way round without making it an issue. "Think if I studied this I could be as smooth with women as you are?"
"Ah Palmer," Tony clapped him on the back, "Charm isn't something you can teach, you're born with it. Of course maybe for you I could try."
Palmer laughed nervously again, but then his smile dropped, making Tony nervous.
"I've actually got something for you." Palmer swallowed and looked to the floor, "Agent Fornell came by NCIS yesterday and left them on your desk, but I thought… I figured I mean…"
"What is it Palmer?" Tony encouraged, not willing to wait for him to sort out his words.
"These." Palmer dropped a set of car keys into his waiting open palm.
"Keys?"
"To the car, the one that Miller left at NCIS," Palmer smiled, "He said the FBI didn't need the hassle, which I didn't get but…"
Tony let Palmer's words drift over him while he stared at the keys in his hands.
He knew long ago, before he'd ever heard the acronym NCIS that he had Daddy issues. Every male authority figure he'd had since school; his college basketball coach, the drill Sarge at the academy, police captain's times three… each and every one had been put through the bastard test. Those that passed, he usually managed to eventually piss off with his neediness when it came to praise. His drill instructor for example was a big fan of the shut up and put up kind of trainee. He failed point blank on that first one, and just getting on with a task without fuss wasn't one of his strong points either. He still made the grade though, despite his so called 'motor mouth' as it was written onto his final report and graduating recommendation. Gibbs didn't pass the bastard test first time around funnily enough, not in general terms anyway, but Tony bent the rules slightly in order to let him pass. Something he believed Gibbs had likely done for him as well, because some days even he questioned why Gibbs had hired him. He wasn't exactly the poster child of NCIS now was he?
Tony chuckled to himself and let out a rueful sigh. It was surreal to think that the undercover fed he'd chased down, been punched by and he'd subsequently pulled a gun on three years ago had become one of the most important people in his life. If anyone had told him back when he first met Gibbs on the streets of Baltimore that this easily pissed off, grumpy, all round bastard of an ex-marine would come to love him in a way his own father had never managed Tony would have laughed in their face. But here he was, sat in said ex-marines back yard celebrating the 4th of July after what in Tony's world was his own personal week of hell. His entire existence, everything he thought he knew about who he was had been thrown into question and to top it off his bastard of a boss had not only stuck by his side the entire time, he'd broken down his own barriers and told Tony what he needed to hear, even if he hadn't known what that was himself until Gibbs said it. That he loved him – no matter what. It was all very Bridget Jones.
Despite the fact he'd just unintentionally cast himself as the leading lady again, hearing those few words was like a weight being lifted, the fear he felt every time he said or did something he knew was risky was taken away. At the time he thought that was what freedom felt like, not being held hostage to your own hang ups and neurosis. Now, after a long night spent in a cramped hospital room waiting for the doctors to give him his walking papers Tony understood it meant much more than that, it meant comfort and family. Things that weren't so foreign for most people who had them, but for him, knowing for sure he had someone he could rely upon, it meant the world.
…Which was why, looking down at the keys to one of his father's best toys, he realised it meant nothing to him. As a boy he'd envied his collection, couldn't wait for the day he'd let him share in the joys of some of the best cars ever made, but now holding the keys in his hand he realised it wasn't that great. It was just a car.
Making a decision Tony handed Palmer the keys back.
"She's all yours Palmer." He said to him with confidence.
"Mine?" Palmer's mouth hung open.
"I think you'd appreciate it more than me." Tony nodded.
Giving the car away wouldn't fix all his insecurities, but it was a start. He still had the whole DNA issue to deal with, but vowed to take all that in his stride when the time came to think about it. Currently there was no desire in him to look deeper into the issue. He felt like he'd been having an identity crisis all his life, so discovering himself now via the dead father who sired him wouldn't change thirty years of damage. What more could he possible ask for anyway? He had all he needed right here.
Happy with that decision Tony left his own headspace and re-joined the real world. Palmer was still gapping at him, at a total loss for words and so Tony lay down on the grass, going back to sun bathing until he could speak again.
.
"So our real bad guy is the original bad guy who is now dead?" Abby tried to wrap her mind around that.
"According to what Shauna confessed to back in the house, Hannigan had agreed to her plan and was supposed to kidnap Tony in the 7/11 as we'd originally thought, not protect him as we'd come to believe thanks to the FBI." Kate groused. All these twist turns and red herrings were making her head hurt.
"A double Agent? Very James Bond," Ducky said with a sly smile, mimicking a certain film buff they all knew and loved.
"Well technically Shauna is our bad guy, only she's retracted the confession she made to Gibbs back in the house. She's now blaming everything on her father." Kate clarified repeating he details she'd already told Gibbs.
"Of course she has, now she knows her father won't live much longer." Ducky shook his head in disgust.
"Miller's motive is obvious though, I imagine he wasn't too happy he lost his family and had to leave the country all those years ago, while Mr DiNozzo walked away with barely a slap on the wrist for his involvement in the money laundering. There was bound to be hurt feelings." Kate attempted to pacify.
Ducky was less than impressed with Mr DiNozzo as a father and a person in general. As a rule he had time for everyone, willing to except people made many mistakes and was always more interested in understanding why than assigning blame. However, hearing the details of how young Anthony came to be injured so many years ago and that no one involved had given a thought to the young boy beyond protecting themselves from repercussion Ducky's only thought was if Mr DiNozzo or Miller for that matter ended up on one of his tables it wouldn't be a great loss to the world.
"As for Hannigan's motive, what Shauna told us already does seem to fit. Though he saved Tony's life the first time he and the others were still blamed for the operations failure. He was transferred to blue collar crime it the mid-west field office. Never managed to get a promotion, basically it ended his career." Kate informed the gathered group what else had been included in the file Wilkes had provided them with.
"So we believe when Shauna offered him a share of the money he didn't have much to lose and agreed to help her track down her father and set everyone up?" McGee continued.
"We believe but can't prove," Abby mulled it over, "what's the boss man say?"
"Not much," Kate shrugged disheartened, "he's been distracted with Tony since we found him, didn't even put up a fight when the FBI took over the scene!"
"Did we ever find out about the tattoo Tony saw in his dream?" Ducky asked suddenly looking to Kate.
"I did." McGee spoke up. "It was a Bonanno thing; anyone who worked for him had one on his arm to allow access to his clubs. Miller and Bell both had them, I checked before they left in the ambulances."
"Good thinking McGee." Ducky praised.
"It also explains why Hannigan didn't have one, he was Bell's handler, had no connection to the Bonanno's directly."
"Well I'm just glad it's over," Abby took a slurp of her Caf-Pow. "I just want Gibbs to give Tony a headslap so everything will be back to normal."
"Well he nearly got one for borrowing Gibbs sunglasses just now, so could be arranged…" Kate scanned the yard smiling, "Hey where is Gibbs?"
"His cell was ringing, he went to answer it." Ducky pointed in the direction Jethro had left.
They all looked around, Tony and Palmer where still sunning themselves by the BBQ, but Gibbs was nowhere to be found.
.
Gibbs walked down the sterile hospital corridor, a few nurses where moving around, but overall this wing of the hospital was almost deserted, quiet except for the rhythmic beep beep beep of life support machines. Approaching the door he required, bypassing a janitor mopping the floor, Gibbs flashed his credentials at the suited guard. The young man with the earwig gave him a stern glance, but aside from a purposeful head bob allowing him access his face never altered from his expression of complete concentration.
Side stepping the door he'd been directed to by his earlier caller he noted the room he entered was small, with one bed and just one machine making that infernal beeping sound, like the frog march of death. Shauna Miller was sat at her father's bedside, back straight in her plastic chair staring at the man lying barely alive in the bed. Her hands folded neatly on her lap, the occasional twitch the only indicator that she was actually still a living person.
"Come to pay your last respects?" She turned to him, a look of pure hatred in her eyes.
"No," Gibbs responded casually.
He matched her glared for glare, and clearly not being used to a man so unwilling not to give her pity she caved within seconds and turned away. Miller eyed him lazily but said nothing.
"Don't suppose you brought me a cigarette then?" She became quickly annoyed at his lack of response, "the FBI have been a little uncooperative about letting me outside for a smoke, what about my rights?"
"I'm more concerned about Tony's," He continued in the same casual vein.
Shauna huffed, shaking her head self-indulgently. "Whatever"
"Shauna, go outside." Miller croaked.
She looked at him, but without fight slammed the chair back to the wall and stormed out. Gibbs followed her path and shut the door behind her.
"You're awake."
"I'm informed it may not be for long." Miller brushed off.
"Let's make one thing clear," Gibbs began, not feeling sorry in the least for this man, "I'm not willing to put Tony through a trial."
He let the sentence hang in the stale hospital air between them.
"I doubt you will have to Agent Gibbs, I've already confessed to the entire thing and since the doctors don't expect me to survive the night…" His sentence petered off, but the meaning was clear.
"You're daughter killed a man Mr Miller." He said bluntly.
Miller fixed him with a stern gaze. "I killed him."
Gibbs shook his head. "We both know that's not true."
"Agent, I may not know you or even Anthony it seems for that matter, but I think I'm right in saying you would do anything to protect him. That is all I am doing for Shauna."
Gibbs pursed his lips, but allowed no more of a reaction. "I wouldn't protect him from his own mistakes." He denied, knowing full well he was lying through his teeth, realising the truth was rather hard to swallow.
"Yes you would. If you were in my position right now, you would." Miller said with serene confidence.
It annoyed Gibbs incessantly. In his hunt for this man, this waste of human existence he'd imagined interrogating a monster, an unfeeling despicable monster, but now with him lying prone and weak in front of him Gibbs realised he was just a man. No more dangerous than the average criminal he crossed paths with on a daily basis.
"She should pay for what's she's done." Was all Gibbs could manage.
"She will, she's admitted her role and will serve whatever sentence is passed down, but Gibbs, this was my mistake, I did this to her, to my family, just like DiNozzo did it to his." Miller leaned back into his pillows, "We were foolish men with foolish ideas… I never appreciated my family."
Gibbs wanted to remind him that despite everything that happened Tony managed to rise above it all and become a wonderful young man, unlike his daughter who quite frankly hadn't suffered nearly half as much and still turned to crime to get her way.
"Gibbs?" Fornell opened the door.
He'd known he wouldn't have long before he was removed and left the room without a fight.
"She going to be charged?" Gibbs demanded once they were in the corridor.
"On counts of aiding and abetting the kidnapping of a federal agent," he nodded, "She's already made a confession."
"She didn't aid and abet anything!" Gibbs' voice rose, "She planned the whole god damn thing!"
"That's not what her father's saying." Fornell said bluntly.
"And when did child kidnappers become such reliable sources?" He all out shouted this time.
Fornell's face transformed into an angry, yet worried frown and he pulled Gibbs further down the hallway.
"If you want all the bastards responsible for letting DiNutso get hurt you need to let us – let me - handle this." He hissed.
Gibbs drew his face into a frown. "Who is it?"
His voice was low and dangerous, making it clear a none answer would be wholly unacceptable if he was expected to leave quietly.
Fornell looked around, as if checking no one was in hearing distance. "Let's just say not all of them got side-lined like Hannigan…"
They shared a knowingly disappointed look. Fornell was as much of a bastard as he was, but the one other trait they shared in common was pride for the integrity of the agency they worked for.
"You going to tell me who or do I shoot someone?"
Fornell huffed, looking torn between giving up and simply throwing him out.
"Let's just say Deputy Assistant Director Wilkes may soon be getting a promotion." He growled sounding like he already knew he'd said too much.
"Son of a bitch," Gibbs whispered under his breath.
"Now before you go off half cocked, we didn't know straight away, though it does explain why the AD wanted Wilkes to close this down quickly and quietly."
"Yeah, he didn't want anyone finding out he'd put his career ahead the life of a child."
"Wilkes is a good man, Gibbs, trust him to get this done the best way."
"Best way for who?" Gibbs growled getting annoyed again.
"Do you really want to see your boy put through a trial involving an Assistant Director of the FBI?" Fornell pointed out, his patience's lost.
Gibbs deflated. No was the unequivocal answer. Tony had only just come to terms with his closest friends knowing, a trial would destroy him. Rule 13 applied, never involve lawyers. He didn't need to say that to Fornell, he already knew the rule intimately.
"What about the murder she confessed to?" Gibbs tipped his head at Shauna who was being escorted back to her father's room.
"Miller gave up other Intel on the grounds that his daughter only gets charged as an accessory." Fornell continued.
"She killed an FBI agent." Gibbs pointed out, wondering if Fornell had forgotten about that little fact in all the confusion.
"Can you prove it?" He pushed, "Because unless you've got hard evidence other than a confession delivered under stressful circumstances there isn't a chance-"
"Yeah, okay I get it-" Gibbs huffed and paced the small space in the corridor.
"Let me handle this Jethro, I'll do right by you and DiNutso." Fornell insisted smoothly.
Gibbs stopped his pacing and stared at him. He didn't see as he had much choice.
.
"You've been gone a long time." Tony said walking down the stairs of Gibbs' basement.
He'd seen Gibbs sneak around the side of the house earlier, but had hoped where ever it was he felt the burning need to go he wouldn't be so long that the others would notice his absence
"Had to go out." Gibbs answered bluntly.
"Couldn't have let us know, Abby started to worry." Gibbs paused what he was doing and looked at him, Tony coughed and moved on, "So what you doing down here?"
"It's my basement." Gibbs shrugged, holding something that looked like paper in his left hand.
There was a waste basket on the table in front of him, full of the same kind of shiny papers. Before Tony could ask another question Gibbs flicked alight a match. Touching the flame to one corner of the paper he held and watching it burn Gibbs threw it into the pile in the waste basket, setting the whole thing alight and stood back to watch the flames rise.
"Not a good idea to start a fire in your basement boss." Tony said coughing as the smoke curled turning the air to soup. Gingerly stepping closer to the small fire trying to get a glimpse of what he was burning. "Oh."
He stepped back, face set not to reveal too much upon seeing the brown envelope and several shiny corners of paper that were once photos. He looked to Gibbs who returned his grim expression and nodded, agreeing with the sentiment.
"Not going to keep it in your little draw then," Tony nodded at the desk, tone edgy and uncomfortable.
"No," Gibbs shook his head, still not explaining.
Gaze drawn back to the fire pit, watching them burn, Tony recalled how he'd reacted upon first seeing the photos and reading the report of his abduction. Chucking up violently after the burgers and beer he'd just had was so not a very good idea.
"So where'd you go?" He asked again, realising he wasn't willing to let it go and desperately not wanting to think about those photos ever again.
Gibbs still didn't answer though and Tony was beginning to get nervous.
"Okay so you don't want to answer, that's fine." He shrugged, forcing a light-hearted note into his voice.
Gibbs huffed Tony noticed and he quickly stepped back, expecting a slap. Opening his eyes when he felt nothing, not even a light breeze over his head and Tony saw Gibbs was staring at a much more pleasant photo in his hand.
"What's that?" He snuck a peek at the colour photo of a kid playing in the snow.
"Don't recognise your own smile DiNozzo."
Tony stared at him. Maybe it was the beer, but he could swear Gibbs was smiling at him…
"You got that from the house." He blurted, taking a second look at the photo and confirming yes that was indeed him.
It was the one he'd picked up and dropped shortly before Miller had kicked ten kinds of shit out of him. He'd been surprised to find it there, not recalling his dad keeping any pictures up after his mom had died. He actually had no idea where it could have come from.
"I thought it should have a better home." Gibbs said cryptically.
Walking over to the desk pushed up to the far wall Gibbs removed a key and made a show of unlocking his secret draw and slipping the photo inside. Tony watched, opened his mouth to make a smart-alecky comment but a sudden sharp pain seared through his head preventing the words.
"It's not that bad DiNozzo," Gibbs started.
Tony figured he must have caught on that he wasn't getting upset over the photo when he felt arms circling him and guiding him to the floor. The pain increased in intensity with each pulse to the point Tony thought his brain might explode. No sooner did he feel the cold concrete underneath his butt did the grey cloud of unconsciousness take him over.
.
Tony came-to with a start.
"Easy." Gibbs grunted, pushing him back to the floor.
Looking down he could see his eyes moving sluggishly, taking in the room. Abby was stood worrying on the bottom step, having heard Tony's screams from the kitchen where she'd been prepping supper.
"Should I get Ducky?" She asked, so thrown by the sudden turn of events she apparently couldn't move off her step.
From his crouch Gibbs looked up at her, Tony's cold hand encased in his, and honestly didn't know what to suggest.
"I'm fine," a faint voice answered her for him.
He was about to declare that bullshit when Tony coughed, took his hand back and jumped to his feet, not making eye contact with either of them. Everyone was stood sort of frozen in place, Abby looking near tears, Tony not far behind her and him staring grimly between them. Before he could comfort either one of them Tony barrelled passed Abby without sparing her a second glance and ran unsteadily up the basement stairs.
Watching him fly up the stairs and out the door Gibbs slowly got to his feet, giving himself time to compose. Abby, unfrozen, walked up to him looking worried, silently pleading with him to fix it. He just hoped he could.
"I've got him." Gibbs nodded sagely, clasping her arm and following Tony out.
It didn't take long to track him down, after ascertaining everyone in the yard were still chatting like nothing was wrong Gibbs made his way out front and found Tony sitting on the curb in front of the house.
Stopping from going over to ball him out for what he could see him doing Gibbs remained on the porch to centre himself. It was encroaching early evening, his little trip to the hospital to see Miller not taking more than an hour of his time and the sun was still shining, albeit lowly in the sky, casting a warm yellow orange glow over the street.
Feeling settled and in control of his temper Gibbs walked up and held out his hand. Tony heard him coming and instinctually turned to face him. He tried to look innocent at first, but then handed over the cigarette packet with an eye roll.
"You're a proper hard ass Gibbs, you know that right." He drawled into a sigh.
"Just be grateful I'm not making you smoke every single one like my dad would have. You'd be puking 'til next Sunday." Gibbs tiredly took a seat next to him, back to the front porch.
"You smoked?" Tony sounded surprised.
"Nope," Gibbs grinned, then got serious, "What happened?"
Tony huffed and drew his eyebrows together looking confused.
"Not sure, it's like the headaches I told you about in the hospital, but that one was so much worse."
Gibbs looked him over, the bruise across his cheek where Miller hit him had turned from red to a light purple, his nose looked painful, but Tony insisted he could live without pain killers and after his last foray with a drug stronger than Tylenol Gibbs was happy to hear it. Aside from the inflicted injuries he also had dark rings around his eyes from lack of sleep, his hair was still a wild mess sticking up at all angles and he looked so thin Gibbs could hardly believe how much weight he'd lost in so short a time.
"It's over DiNozzo." Gibbs said kindly, hoping to make him feel better, safer.
"Yeah, yeah I know." But Tony didn't sound enthused. "Look I'm not sure what's going on, you know… up here," he waved a hand around his head. "But I'll sort it, Boss promise and you don't need to say it I know I'll be on desk duty until you say otherwise. At least you won't have to put up with me stealing your couch anymore and…"
Gibbs feigned listening to his incessant babbling. Tony could stretch it out all he wanted, but he knew something else was going on here.
"What's bugging ya Tony?" Gibbs asked, using his index finger to lift Tony's chin, forcing him to look him in the eye.
There was a long hefty pause where they both stared out into the quiet street. Gibbs waited patiently as always when it came to DiNozzo taking anything seriously.
"Not quite over." Tony squinted, looking at him sideways. "Before I tell you, Boss, please promise not to kill me first."
Tony actually waited for him to nod and agree before he would continue, taking a deep breath, blowing out the string of words very quickly.
"I think I know where the FBI money is."
.
TBC… it should be there now, just click the button. Go on! Click it! or leave a review then click it, I'm happy with both ;D