It didn't take much convincing. After being introduced to Sarah-Jane, she shows him around the diner and the apartment. Both were clean and neat as he expected. The kitchen could use a few updates but other than that it looked like a good place to settle down. He always enjoyed cooking, he just never had the chance to do it with the job he had. It would give him something to do, a place to call home and he would be near a good friend.
After the papers were signed he closed the diner for three weeks, a major cleaning of the kitchen to make room for the new stove, oven, and central work station. Then he replaced some of the tables in the dinning room same style just newer ones. That room was also given a good thorough cleaning.
The ladies that worked in the newly christened Tony's, didn't appear too happy at first. That was until they all sat down and had a talk.
"I asked you ladies to come in today because you are the ones in the know. What sells and what doesn't. Who the trouble makers are and which customers need a discount for their meals, because they need the extra help. Who are the pains in the butt that no matter what they order, will complain."
Hearing this the four ladies laughed. "I know that you all take turns in the kitchen and waiting tables. You have a system that works for you and I'm not going to change it. The only difference being that I will be doing most of the cooking."
Seeing the look of relief on their faces Tony smiles slightly. Looking at the older of the woman, a woman in her late fifties. She gave off the vibes of don't mess with me or I'll take you to the woodshed. "Miss Sally." He starts for everyone called her 'Miss Sally', is a force to be reckoned with as tall as him with a good fifty pound more, her skin the perfect shade milk chocolate. "I was hoping that you would continue baking the pies, brownies, and cakes for the restaurant. I'll offer the same deal to you for the church baking, your church club pays cost for the ingredients, except for the Christmas baking then I pay for all of them. You can use the ovens and the kitchen just like before."
She smiled broadly hearing him, then nodded her head. "Deal." she tells him the offers her hand.
The other three ladies were a few years younger but not by much, Helen, Louisa being sisters shared their love of blue hair rinse they reminded him of retired southern woman from a generation passed. The grandmothers that liked to watch the groups of men and women reenacting the Civil War.
Gloria being the youngest and a sister to Miss Sally, though you couldn't tell. Standing five feet even and weighing one hundred pounds soaking wet. A tiny thing, she can lift a twenty-five pound bag of flour like it weighed five pounds.
It felt good, the ladies were family and soon accepted him as part of theirs. So he was not in the least bit surprised when on their first afternoon while there was a lull with customers in the restaurant.
Helen brought him a cup of tea while he was slicing some onions. "Can we talk for a few minutes please, Tony."
He looked at her sensing a bit of in her voice apprehension he nodded slightly and wiped his hands on his apron . "Is something wrong Helen?"
"Matty said you were no one's fool." she replies softly.
Tipping his head to one side, he sips some of his tea. "Why don't you tell me what's bothering you and lets see if I can help."
"It's about Benny, my boy."
A fond smile crosses Tony's face hearing the boy/man's name. A twenty-five year old man with TBI it just took him longer to do things. He went from being a bright normal boy of fifteen with a bright future to a man/child with a limited future, all because a school field trip had gone horribly wrong. He had been hired to work in the restaurant the day he "finished school". He washed dishes, stocked the shelves. Any work the ladies found they couldn't, a good hard worker someone Tony had no problems with at all.
A concerned looked crosses over Tony face. "Is he sick do I need to hire someone to help until he gets better?"
"No, no he's fine. We were wondering if he needs to go work at the center for disabled adults? My husband and I weren't sure if you were going to keep him on."
"Why wouldn't I ? He works hard and I have no problems with his work. I do want to sit down with you and your husband about him though. He needs to start saving for the future, if we set up an account for him some sort of retirement account of sorts, if he deposits twenty a week I'll add ten to it."
She shakes her head not believing her ears. "But why? I don't understand."
"I know he has older siblings that will make sure he is cared for when you are no longer here. He will need his own money so he can feel like a man not a child."
"Has he said some thing to you?"
"What one man says to another in private Helen, is not something that I'm going to share especially with his mother."
She pats his cheek softly. "You're a good boy Tony, even if you are a Yankee."
"And you're a good mom." He replies then leans over and kisses her cheek.
It was by word of mouth it took less than a month before the small restaurant was busy once again. Simple honest food like they were used to plus a few more offerings that they weren't. The one thing he did change was soup always homemade and it was offered daily not just when it rained.
The place was always packed on Wednesdays that was the day he offered Italian fare with freshly made Italian bread that Miss Sally made.
Matt closed his eyes and licked his lips. "I've just had a flashback to the frat house." Then he put another fork full of lasagna in his mouth.
"You and me both, we'd be so much younger and healthy again." Tony tells him as he watches his friend eat as he leans against the sink in the busy restaurant.
Sunday was only a half day they opened only for brunch, on Mondays they were closed it gave Tony a chance to rest his knee and the ladies a chance to do what they needed to do in their homes. What he liked most about not opening on Mondays it gave him an opportunity to work on new recipes.
While his dinner simmered he took the time to read the latest letter from Gibbs, short and to the point just like him. It was still nice to know what was going on back in D.C. . Ducky's letters on the other hand required a cup of tea and a few of his own cookies on the table even before he opened the envelope. They always brought back warm memories of the man in question.
McGee was not the letter type of person he sent emails to him, he also hacked into his computer, (with permission) and repaired any and all problems that he had. Up to and including the inventory program that Tony had purchased for the restaurant. According to McGee the program was not worth the money that he had paid for it. Thinking of McGee, he showed up about four months after he had moved in. He stayed for three days "fixing" the computer. In other words he replaced Tony's desktop with a new on that he acquired then set up the internet. He had no idea what he did and he knew better than to ask. Tony did remember smiling when Tim told him he would have the fastest internet in town. So McGee wrote a new program for him it covered all the expenditures for the business. Food, utilities, payroll, insurance everything was covered. It was like having McGee doing the books for him all of the time. All he had to do was enter the information the program did the rest.
On a early Sunday afternoon Tony silently swore as he banged his head on the pipe, he was laying on his back under the sink.
"I'm sorry I caused all this trouble Tony." Ben tells him.
"No sweat, accidents happen. I've dropped a knife down the sink before."
"Can I talk to you while you're under there?"
"Sure Ben, what's up?"
" Why do you always call me Ben and everyone else calls me Benny?"
"You told me that you didn't like to be called Benny remember?, and Benjamin doesn't suit you, Ben does. Just like Tony suits me and Anthony not so much. Only two people call me Anthony my father and a dear friend Dr. Mallard, I call him Ducky."
"I wish more people would call me Ben, Benny is for a kid not a grown up."
"Then tell them, I'll tell the crew and get you a new name tag okay?"
"Thanks I'd like that. I know I'm slow and I'll never get better not like I was before the accident."
"As far as I'm concerned you're doing a good job, don't worry about what other people think. Is there something else you want to talk about?" Tony asks as his hand comes out from under the sink feeling for a wrench.
"I want to make my mother a jewelry box for Christmas, I've been saving I bought the kit at the rehab center I go to. But I want to make it myself, but need a place to make it and I think some help, I don't want to make any mistakes. I have it in my locker downstairs."
A loud damn is what Ben hears from Tony in reply. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I didn't mean to bother you Tony."
Tony grins before he says anything . "No, no, not you Ben I banged my head on the pipe, again, at least I'm all done now. As for the box ask the man coming into the kitchen behind you. And don't be frightened, Ben this is my old boss, Gibbs. He was a Marine he always walks softly, just like Molly, my cat, softly and silently." He tells him smiling.
Tony's hand came out from under the sink only to wipe the dirt on his pants. Before the rest of the him comes out, he takes his time to get on his feet.
Hearing Ducky start to fuss brings a smile to Tony's face. "Anthony I am glad to see that you are wearing your brace on your knee."
" Ducky, this is Ben, he works for me."
"Hello Benjamin, it's very nice to meet you."
"Same to you sir." Ben replies softly.
"Just retrieving a knife, boss, Ben dropped one in by accident."
"It happens. I'll install a basket with smaller holes while I'm here, that should help."
Tony knows it's just better in the long run just to let Gibbs have his way when it came to certain things. "You didn't let the cat out did you?"
One look at Gibbs face was enough to get an answer. "Habit ." Tony adds as Gibbs disappears under the sink double checking the work that Tony had just completed.
"How did you know, he was here?" Ben asks a little bit in awe.
"I always know when Gibbs is close by." A smiling Tony answers.
" Now tell me Anthony, do you have a proper pot for tea?"
Tony just nods before he reaches into his cabinet, pulling out a cream colored teapot with thistles as the pattern. "You'd be amazed what you can find in small out of the way consignment shops around here Ducky, I'm told this pattern was made exclusively for the Scottish market."
"Indeed it was, I remember mother having the same pot in my younger days."
Not long after the four men were enjoying tea and coffee, the plate of cookies that Tony put on the table was soon demolished
"Boss, Ben here would like some help with a jewelry box he is making for his mother."
Gibbs nodded. "If you have it here I can take a look at it and help you if you like?"
Ben wastes no time as he leaves the table. Tony catches Ducky's questioning eye.
"TBI, Ducky when he was in high school. His mother works for me, they were afraid that I was going to let him go because of his disability, he is a good worker and is learning how to be a prep cook. And before you ask Boss, we already started his own retirement account of sorts, he puts twenty a week in the account I put ten. I take care of my own."
"Just like you've always done Tony."
"Are you staying long?"
"Just for a few nights we are going to pick up some lumber Jethro ordered. It seams some long forgotten trees were retrieved from a stream, the lumber is well seasoned and perfect. For some project he wants to do."
The ladies enjoyed their visit, Ducky charmed them recounting stories of some of Tony's heroic deeds. As for Gibbs and his gruff exterior it didn't faze any of the ladies at all, as he helped Tony build an raised herb garden in his small back yard.
Tony served them a meal meatloaf with potatoes along with a spinach salad on Tuesday night. Handing the gravy to Gibbs Tony frown slightly. "You didn't have to work on the list you know."
"I wanted to, less you have to do. Or hire someone to do it for you."
A simple thank you was said in reply before Ducky commandeered the conversation for the remainder of the meal. They left Wednesday morning not long after breakfast with a fully packed lunch and enough snacks to last until they stopped for the night. They didn't stop on the way back bypassing Tony completely by taking the most direct route.
The days passed quickly and Tony felt at home he was liked and respected by almost everyone in town. Except for one officer Costa, who always gave him a sour look when ever he brought food over to Matt and his detectives to try out. He liked to think of them as his testers, except for the fact they were cops and would eat anything. The woman in the squad were even worse they always complained there wasn't enough.
The feeling that he got from Costa was enough for him to do a little investigating of his own. Logging on to a few police sights he did some research on one Officer Joseph Costa. It didn't take him long to get the man's full history where he came from and his standing as an policeman. What bothered Tony most of all way that he couldn't get over the feeling that the man just couldn't be trusted. There was something about him that just felt wrong off like he was hiding something. He called in a few favors to get some more information on him. It didn't take him long to get a complete picture to of the man, the one thing he found out was that he wasn't trusted at his last place he worked as a policeman. He left with a lot of unanswered questions and lingering doubt as to his honesty. Too many things happened that shouldn't have when ever he was on duty, just how many time can a prisoner end up dead because of a careless mistake. The last count was three, not to mention lost forms and missing evidence. There was also no proof just lingering doubt. As far as Tony was able to find out nothing had happened like that here. But then the man had only been here for a year, only time would tell.
It was a cold, wet afternoon when a tall African-American man came into the diner with a boy around ten by his side. The man looked tired and lost, the boy looked like he needed a hot meal and a bath. Tony gave him the once over from his seat at the counter.
With a menu in hand he slowly walks over to the booth the man had chosen to sit in. He doesn't waste time with niceties being an agent for so many years it was always better to stop trouble before it started. "Are you UA?"
The man looks a bit surprised that Tony would know the acronym. "No, no, I was just let go a week ago, still finding my bearings."
"I wanted to make sure, I'm Tony DiNozzo NCIS, medically retired ." He informs the man then offers his hand. Tony could tell the man was telling the truth, an honest reply with no holding back there were no tells in the man for hiding or being afraid.
"I'm Tom Morris, this is my son Adam."
"Are you passing through or are you looking for a place to stay?" He asks echoing the same words that were said to him when he first stepped foot in the town.
"What I need is a job, work for me and a place to stay so I can raise my son."
"What did you do in the corps? And before you ask, it's your hair cut only a Marine has a cut like that." Tony says with a smile.
"I'm auto mechanic I can fix most anything."
Tony just smiles then calls over his shoulder "Miss Sally, can you please come here for a minute?"
Sally frowns as she wipes her hands on her apron then she come into the dinning area. "What do you need Tony, I've got pies in the oven."
"Is your lazy no account nephew still looking for a mechanic, so he can go fishing and not work? Because this is Tom and he is looking for work and his son Adam is looking for a meal, a piece of cake and a bath. I bet his clothes could use a washing too."
Sally gives the man and boy the once over, then with a sharp nod of her head. "Let me make few calls I'll get back to you in a few minutes." She turns and leaves without another word.
Tony takes the menus leaving the man too stunned to say anything else. Not long after Gloria came up to the table laden with a tray with food. Coffee for Tom and a large glass ofchocolate milk for the child.
Tony slipped outside in the small yard in the back, he hits three on his speed dial, before he starts to water his herbs.
"McGee."
"Probie, how are you?"
"Tony is there something wrong? You never call in the middle of the day."
"Nothing is wrong, I need a favor. Can you run a name for me? Tom Morris he says he was let go last week from the Corps. I need to know what his story is?"
Hearing Tony's name Gibbs stand goes over to McGee's desk and takes the desk phone away from his ear then puts it on speaker. He isn't in the least bit surprised when he hears Tony's voice say hello boss. He can even hear the grin that he is sure his former SFA has on his face.
"Explain?" Gibbs orders knowing full well that he no longer has the right to order Tony, but still knowing that Tony will answer him.
"I need some information on a former marine that just came into eat with his son. I just want his back story. He says he's not UA and I believe him."
"Do it McGee, run the name."
It only takes McGee a minute to access the information. " He was let go last week compassionate discharge, his wife was killed in a training accident the wreckage of the helicopter has yet to be found. No other family was able to take his child so he could finish his tour, he only had six months left. Honorable discharged no bad reports in his file, rank of Gunny. His team had won every competition entered for the last three years speed, and accuracy in putting together and repairing destroyed vehicles. In fact they've been banned from entering anymore the brass said it wasn't fair to the rest of the teams."
"Thanks Tim."
"Ball's in your court DiNozzo what are you going to do?"
"Well, feed him and the boy, help him get a job, they can stay with me, I bet Miss Sally has them settled in by the end of the week."
"Good." Gibbs replies then hangs up the phone.
Tony looks at his phone and shakes his head some things never change. He thinks.
He follows as Miss Sally walks up to the table carrying two plates both with a piece of her chocolate cake.
"I don't understand, why are you helping me?" Tom asks as the plates are put on the table.
"I'm not doing anything for you that I wouldn't do for anyone else. Well that and my former boss would head slap me into next year if I didn't help a Marine father. So this is what we can do for you. . ."