Author's Note: Thanks again for all your reviews! Most people guessed Jackson as Gibbs' Maker, but it isn't him! Gibbs' Maker will be revealed when he shows up in a few chapters to help his boy settle this situation. Tony now has to deal with how to accept what he's found out about Gibbs and Ducky, while realizing he can't handle what is happening alone. Lots of action coming up, and we'll get to some good hurt/comfort soon.
The elbow doesn't need surgery, but I still have to wear a splint for a few more weeks. I guess it could have turned out worse!
I appreciate how many of you have given this outside-the-box story a chance, and I look forward to hearing what you think about the latest developments!
TLH
Tony rolled over and opened his eyes to find himself staring at some of the most garish wallpaper he had ever seen in his life. The pink, yellow, and blue flowers peered back at him brightly, and he prayed he hadn't somehow been seduced by a really hot senior citizen and he was waking up in her assisted living facility. A vision of Helen Mirren in a tight, low-cut dress flashed through his mind, then he came back to reality.
Blinking wider to get his bearings, he recalled coming home with Ducky…and then the woman….Gibbs was there. Blood. Fangs. Vampires.
"Oh, shit," he said out loud, the full force of last night's events crashing back to him. He crawled out from under the flowered blanket and teetered into the bathroom, grimacing when he looked in the mirror at the bruise on his neck that was confirmation his memories were factual and not a hallucination or a really screwed up nightmare. "The fucking Twilight Zone," he told his pasty reflection, taking a moment to peek behind the shower curtain to see if Rod Serling was hiding in the bathtub.
He had actually been hoping for some type of temporary insanity.
Returning to the vanity mirror, he touched the blackened area that stretched from his collar bone to the bottom of his jaw; the poker hot pain shooting out from the bruises provided a grim reminder that what had occurred was extremely real.
Ducky is a vampire.
Gibbs is a vampire.
Everything he ever believed in was a lie.
"Never let a damn vampire in your house, Anthony, you've seen The Lost Boys enough times to know that." He wondered how many more bites were necessary before he turned into a vampire, too. The thought sent a shiver of fear up his spine; opening his mouth wide he checked all his teeth, pleased to find them straight and white with not a single pointy fang in sight. It was enough to calm his jittery nerves just a little.
Stepping into the bedroom, he listened intently, discovering the house was perfectly quiet. He wasn't going to sit around here and wait on what was going to happen next; it was time to get out while he could-before Gibbs and Ducky came back.
He was wearing the same sweats from the night before and a fresh Ohio State t-shirt; someone had taken the time to wipe the blood away and get him cleaned up. Knowing his two former friends had complete access to his unconscious body was disconcerting, but he hadn't noticed any other bites or injuries. It was hard to deal with the waves of distrust and paranoia he was experiencing; he had always trusted Gibbs and Ducky implicitly. Now he questioned everything.
Focus, DiNozzo, he reminded himself, and get the hell out of here. Doing a quick survey, he found his bag sitting on a chair in the corner of the room; his wallet and cell phone were both tucked inside. A glance at his watch told him it was nearing noon. He quickly tugged on tennis shoes and pulled on a jacket, preparing to do something he hadn't thought about in years but at one time had turned into an art form.
"Alright, Anthony, let's see if all those years at boarding school really did teach you anything useful."
Quietly lifting the window, Tony leaned out and dropped his duffel bag, watching it land with a soft thud on the driveway below. Taking a deep breath, he climbed out the opening and shimmied down the drain pipe. He was glad this was an older home, with sturdy piping that groaned a little but thankfully held the extra weight he had picked up since he was a skinny, pimply-faced fifteen year-old kid sneaking out to hook up with an older girl who could drive. Dropping to the ground, he made sure no one was following him, grabbed his bag, and jogged down the street without a backward glance at the cheerful Victorian home that he was pretty sure would play a dominant role in his nightmares for years to come.
NCISNCISNCIS
Ducky raised his head from where he was reading the newspaper, immediately aware that Tony was no longer in the house. "DiNozzo," he muttered, taking the stairs two at a time, shoving the door of the bedroom open without bothering to knock. It didn't take a field agent to notice the wide open window, pale yellow curtains fluttering in the breeze.
The ME sighed and fished the phone from his pocket, not bothering with pleasantries once the call was answered. "Jethro, I'm beginning to think Anthony is going to require a leash." He quickly explained Tony's disappearance. "Would you like me to track him down?"
Gibbs rolled his eyes toward the ceiling and ran a hand through his silver hair. Leave it to DiNozzo to do the one thing that could make this mess even worse. "No, I'll take care of it, Ducky. I'll call you when I find him." He shut his phone and stomped onto the elevator. "Hell in a handbasket," he growled, punching the button to take him to the lab.
He was greeted by ear-splitting reverberations that let him know Abby was hard at work. "Hey, boss," the Goth practically yelled over the blaring sounds she liked to consider music. Someone started screaming unintelligible lyrics, and it was too much for Gibbs to bear.
"Off Abby! Turn this off!" He pointed menacingly at her stereo.
The scientist made a face and moved to meet his demand. "I know this music isn't what you're used to, Gibbs, but you really are going to have to get with this century. I have a feeling the harpsichord isn't going to make a big comeback."
"Tony saw me." Gibbs didn't waste any time getting to the point. "And Ducky."
Abby continued adding samples to a slide. "Tony sees you every day, Gibbs. He might not see Ducky every single day, but I'm sure that at least four times a week he's in autopsy or…" she stopped abruptly and turned to face him, green eyes wide. "Oh, you mean he saw you. Fangs and all?" She placed a hand on her hip. "If he saw your fangs I'm going to be very pissed since you've never let me see your fangs and I've been begging you for years."
"He was being attacked at the time, Abby, so yes, he saw my fangs."
Her eyes widened even more. "Someone attacked Tony! Did they hurt him? Is he ok? Oh my God, Gibbs, this is the second time! Who's coming after him? What are you going to do?"
Gibbs placed his hands on Abby's upper arms to silence her. "Right now I need to talk to him and explain some of what's going on. He was at Ducky's but snuck away, and he shouldn't be alone; it's too dangerous." Gibbs clenched his teeth. "He's scared of me and I need you to tell him not to be."
Abby smiled and gave Gibbs a supportive hug. "It's going to be so much better once he knows. I'll be happy to go with you to talk to Tony."
Gibbs nodded. "Meet me at the car in five. I need to see Ziva and McGee before we go." He headed back out of the lab. "Oh, and Abby bring some of that genealogy stuff you have on Tony's family. I think it might help."
Abby sighed and turned toward her computer. "Or totally tick him off when he finds out the two people he trusts most in the world have been keeping a Mount Everest sized secret from him." She bit her lip and hoped Tony would somehow forgive them.
NCISNCISNCIS
Gibbs barreled off the elevator and into the bullpen. "McGee! David! Report!"
McGee did his gasping fish imitation. "Well, boss…..uh…..so far….we…"
Ziva stood and folded her arms. "We have nothing Gibbs. I am sorry. I know not to apologize, but we have combed through everything and cannot find any leads. If Ducky or Abby do not give us something to go on, I am not sure what to do next."
The lead agent tightened his mouth into a thin line, admiring Ziva's straight-forward honesty. He felt bad, since he understood why they weren't able to come up with any information. Tracking vampires wasn't exactly easy work, especially since his team had no idea that's what they were doing. Tired of following one step behind, he decided to change the game. "Start researching background on Adrian and Maria Gibson. They're now our prime suspects."
Ziva frowned and McGee raised a finger to ask how Gibbs had identified the couple, but the expression on Gibbs' face was not one that invited questions so he lowered his hand and remained silent.
Gibbs grabbed his coat and walked straight back on the elevator. "DiNozzo's out sick; his wrist is giving him trouble so Ducky stayed with him. I have to go out for a minute; call me if you get any breaks." The silver doors slid shut and he was gone.
"Where is he going?" Ziva asked McGee.
"I have no idea."
"Who are these people he wants us to research? Do you think Abby found something on them?" The Israeli paced around the room.
McGee's brow wrinkled. "She must have. Anyway, we'd better have something by the time Gibbs gets back, so let's get started."
Ziva snorted. "Leave it to Tony to get sick when we have a case that no one can solve."
The junior agent gazed at her appraisingly. "Do you actually think that was a bite on his arm? That kind of action's pretty out there, even for Tony."
"Yes, well," Ziva shifted uncomfortably. "Tony has always liked to push the envelope and he is getting older. Maybe he needs more excitement in his relationships. It is not unheard of."
McGee shivered. "It's definitely not any kind of relationship I would want to have. I hope Tony doesn't go too far; it sounds unsafe."
Ziva nodded in agreement and went back to her computer, continuing to feel a gnawing uncertainty growing in the pit of her stomach. Things were getting very…..hinky, and she wasn't sure why. Both Tony and Gibbs were acting strangely even for the two of them.
More secrets, she mused. Would they ever learn how unwise it is to keep things from their teammates?
She sighed and answered her own silent question. Obviously not.
NCISNCISNCIS
A few blocks away from Ducky's house, Tony felt a cold chill envelop him, and he glanced over his shoulder, grateful to see no one following.
He couldn't shake the sensation someone was watching him. The wind picked up a pile of dead leaves and they skittered past him; he let his eyes gaze from side to side, his heart thumping loudly in his chest. The street was deserted, but it didn't matter-his skin tingled and he could literally feel eyes staring at him, despite being completely alone.
He picked up the pace and walked more rapidly, pulling his jacket snugly around his shoulders, relieved to have finally reached a more populated section of town. It only took a few minutes for him to hail a cab and hop inside, giving the driver the address of his apartment.
Peering out the back window, he couldn't see any sign of someone tailing him. Come on DiNozzo, it's not like a vampire is going to jump out and wave at you. He had yet to wrap his head around what he had seen the night before. Even as a kid he never believed in the supernatural. Ghosts, goblins, witches; he chalked it all up as a pile of crap. Even with his dreams of vampires, he'd never truly considered the possibility they might actually exist.
It was one thing he and his father could agree on, especially considering his mother had been very much into all that hocus-pocus. Tony might have been little more than a kid when she died, but he remembered all the candles, incense, and strange friends. At least she had been fairly honest about her beliefs.
Not like Gibbs. How could the man have lied to him like this? It was the mother of all secrets times one thousand, and he didn't know if he could deal with it.
What did it all mean? Did Gibbs and Ducky drink human blood? Did they hunt and kill people to quench their cravings and stay alive?
A thought niggled at Tony's brain; he sat straight up in the cab. Fuck. The dead navy officers. Drained of their blood. Did Ducky and Gibbs do that? Is that why they've been acting so weird?
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Should he call someone and report his suspicions? Who would he call? They'd just think he was crazy.
Hello, I'd like to report that the lead agent for the NCIS major crimes response team is a blood sucking vampire and might be responsible for three murders that we know of. Yeah, that would go over well. He'd find himself locked in a looney-bin before lunchtime.
"We're here," the cabbie said, eyeing him in the rear-view mirror. Tony paid, giving the man way too much of a tip, but he didn't want to wait for the change.
He jumped out of the taxi and practically ran into his apartment, slamming the door and securing every lock, including the chain. It probably wouldn't help, but he couldn't stop himself. He needed to keep whatever might be following him outside and as far away as possible.
Tony stood in his silent apartment and stared at the locked door, almost anticipating it flying open and a horde of bloodthirsty creatures rushing inside. When that didn't happen, he wasn't sure what to do next, so he dropped the duffel bag in the floor and headed toward the bedroom. He'd take a shower and wash the vampire stink off him first, then he'd figure out if there was any way to protect himself from Gibbs, Ducky….all of them.
He stripped quickly, turning the water as hot as it would go. Letting the beads of liquid pour over his body, he tried to force himself to accept the situation; that everything he had believed in was gone, ripped away like a child torn from his mother's arms. The knowledge physically hurt him, and he considered sliding down the smooth tile wall and huddling under the spray until it pounded away the image of Gibbs baring his fangs and moving like something from a Japanese horror movie.
Instead he leaned his forehead on the smooth surface, banging his head a few times, and fought back the urge to scream.
"How could you do this to me, Gibbs? How could you keep this from me?"
It had taken years for him to completely trust the team leader; he had always believed that Gibbs had his six, but true trust was not something Tony gave easily. Life had taught him that the people you care about are the ones who can disappoint you the most. He always doubted, was always waiting for the thing that would leave him abandoned and alone. After all this time, he finally saw Gibbs as the exception to his rule. The older man might not ever come out and say much; but he spoke through his actions and those had shown him to be the one person Tony could count on to be there regardless.
They had been through so much shit; Kate's death, Gibbs' amnesia, Tony being framed for murder, Jeanne. Even after the Jenny debacle, when Tony couldn't forgive himself, Gibbs had come through and brought Tony back from being Agent Afloat and had refused to lay the blame at Tony's feet. During the Rivkin situation, there was never a time Gibbs wasn't behind him all the way. In the end, Gibbs chose to keep him instead of Ziva, a decision Tony would never forget and cemented his faith in his boss. His trust for Gibbs was so complete, so sure, it was like oxygen. He never questioned it.
And now that was gone. Gibbs was a vampire, and possibly a murderer. Nothing made sense anymore, and he doubted he would ever trust anyone again. It was lie upon lie upon lie, with Gibbs at the center of the web of untruths.
The water ran cold and Tony finally stepped out, taking stock of the bruises battering his body. He was genuinely worried that all the biting meant he was going to turn into a vampire even if there were no outward signs yet. None of the traditional lore seemed to be relevant, but being bit three times was enough to make him concerned. He had no desire to spend eternity sucking blood like a parasite. He considered calling McGee, but wasn't ready yet to face the younger man's disbelief and disdain. Ziva? There was no way she would believe him.
He dried off and sat down on the edge of his bed, wondering if there was anything he could do besides sit here and wait for another bloodsucker to come after him.
"How could you do this to me, Gibbs?" he asked out loud again. Without the lead agent, he had no one else to turn to. He considered calling Abby, but her allegiance to Gibbs was so strong he couldn't predict how she would respond. Who did that leave? Palmer? Tony shook his head ruefully; the autopsy gremlin would probably be willing to follow his lead into anything, but he didn't want to get the kid involved in a situation that could potentially get him killed.
A noise in the living room caught his attention and brought his senses back on alert; Tony slipped into a pair of jeans that were lying in the floor by the bed and grabbed his gun off the dresser. He didn't know if a gunshot would work against these bastards, but he didn't plan on giving up without a fight.
He slid to the corner of the hallway door, took a deep breath, and faced into the living room with his weapon drawn.
"DiNozzo, put that damn gun away!" Gibbs demanded, looking as normal as ever in his slightly rumpled suit jacket, navy blue polo with a hint of white t-shirt underneath, and loose fitting khakis. There was nothing about him screaming vampire; he was glaring at Tony with one of those stop being so completely stupid expressions that usually preceded a headslap.
But Tony had seen what Gibbs could do; he wouldn't be tricked into letting his guard down.
"I don't think so, Gibbs." Tony was proud that his arms held steady; there was no hint of the tremors that threatened to shoot through his body in every direction. He had never quite imagined himself holding a gun on the silver-haired man. "How did you get in here?"
"I used the key you gave me," Gibbs replied cooly.
"Oh. What about the chain?"
Gibbs shrugged a shoulder in response but didn't answer the question.
Tony adjusted his grip on the gun. Fine; he didn't need to know anyway. "It would be a good idea if you left now." He was glad his voice didn't sound as freaked out as he felt.
Gibbs' blue gaze softened some. "You're frightening Abby. Set the gun down so we can talk."
Tony hadn't been aware she was there and he allowed himself to focus on the scientist, who was standing next to the wall with her hands clasped together nervously shifting her weight from one boot clad foot to the other. She looked up at him through long, dark lashes. "If you shoot him in an artery and he doesn't get blood quickly enough, he will die Tony. I don't know if I should tell you that, because if you're scared enough you might try it and I know what a good shot you are. But I don't think you want to kill Gibbs; he means too much to you. Please let us talk to you, Tony. I promise to explain everything."
DiNozzo blinked at her words. "How can you explain this, Abby? How? Gibbs. Isn't. Human."
She stepped forward. Gibbs didn't move, not wanting to agitate his senior field agent. "The same way I would explain the science behind a case, Tony. The same way I approach everything. Gibbs and Ducky might not be exactly what you thought they were, but they're the exact same people you would have given your life for yesterday morning. Let us tell you why none of that has to change."
Tony swallowed thickly and met her eyes. "Abby, did you ask yourself if they might be the ones who killed those men? They could be cold-blooded killers. How do you know they're not? Don't let your feelings blind you to the possibility." He didn't want to believe it himself, but it was impossible to ignore the evidence.
"Tony," Gibbs said softly, determining it was time to set the younger man straight. "I didn't kill those boys and neither did Ducky, but I can see why you might think that. You're going to have to give me a chance. I'm not going to ask you to trust me, because I doubt you're ready for that yet. Lay you're gun on the table where you can reach it and listen to us for a few minutes. If you don't believe what I have to say, you can shoot me."
"Gibbs!" Abby yelled frantically. "Tony is not allowed to shoot you!"
Gibbs turned to the Goth. "Yes, Abby, he is. I give Tony my word that if he doesn't at least think what we have to say could possibly be true, he can shoot me. Right, DiNozzo?"
Tony knew he was being played, he'd seen Gibbs do it hundreds of times with suspects when he wanted to put them at ease. But he had no idea if he could shoot Gibbs anyway, so he decided to take the opportunity to dial the situation down some. He'd only been awake a few hours, but he was already tired again. Besides, Abby was there, and he couldn't believe that even vampire Gibbs could hurt Abby. He needed time to think.
If the newly exposed vampire did try to hurt Abby, though, Tony would have to shoot him; the idea made him sick, but he could do it if he was forced to. He lowered his gun, placing it within easy reach on the end table beside the sofa, before sitting down next to it. "Talk," he said, not disguising the bitterness in his voice.
Abby briefly looked at Gibbs and then went to sit next to Tony, curling her fingers around his. "You're cold," she said with concern.
"I'm fine," he responded more gruffly than he intended. Abby just squeezed his hand tighter.
Gibbs grabbed the Ohio State throw from off the couch and tossed it around Tony's bare shoulders before seating himself in the oversized lounge chair across from the two people he cared about more than any others in the world. DiNozzo glared at him with a mixture of anger, fear, and confusion; Tony's disdain was clearly written on his face. It made Gibbs' gut clench in a way he didn't like at all. He had rarely seen DiNozzo look at him with anything less than complete faith and admiration. It was a punch to the stomach to lose that.
The lead agent exhaled and scrubbed at his face. Nothing about this was going to be easy, so he decided to go with the cold hard facts and take it from there.
"I've been alive over five hundred years. I was born in northern England under the name Leroy Gibson; my birth-father was a carpenter named Charles." He gave a nearly imperceptible smile, taking a moment to touch a memory from long ago, before continuing. "Most of my life I served as a soldier in various armies. I was turned into a vampire at the age of 35 by a general in the army I was serving under. Since then I have lived my life among humans, trying to lay a claim to whatever soul I have left." Tony's eyes had tapered into slits, watching him. "Neither I nor Ducky killed those men. I believe they were murdered by two vampires, Adrian and Maria Gibson, under the orders of an older vampire named Gabriel."
He crossed a leg and fell silent, waiting for Tony to say something.
A muscle in Tony's jaw twitched as he clenched his teeth stiffly. "Why….." he cleared his throat, finding it difficult to form the words. "Why didn't you tell me what you are?"
Gibbs leaned forward. "And how would you propose I should have done that, DiNozzo?"
Tony chewed his lip and stared at a stain on the floor. He really needed to get the carpet cleaned. "So I'm supposed to accept that you're a good vampire who never sucks the blood of the innocent or terrorizes women and children?"
"Yes. You know me Tony. That should be enough." Gibbs was as matter-of-fact as if they were talking about the weather, and his unfruffled tone infuriated Tony even more.
"No!" DiNozzo shouted, and scooted forward until he was inches from Gibbs' face. Abby refused to let go of his hand, so she was dragged along with him. "I used to know you! I don't know what you are now." He shook his head and scooted back away from his mentor, needing to increase the distance between them. "You're not who I thought you were."
"Is anybody?" Gibbs asked quietly.
Tony laughed angrily. "No, but that's why you were different." He dropped his eyes then looked up again, anger replaced by disappointment. "You were the one person whose honesty I never doubted, but none of it was real. Everything about your life is made up and I bought it completely. I'm such an idiot."
"That's not fair, Tony," Abby interrupted. "How would you have reacted if Gibbs had told you the truth about this? He was trying to do what was best for you. He wanted to protect you!"
The field agent turned toward his best friend. "Why didn't you tell me Abby? How long have you known?"
She tilted her head until her pigtails hung down crookedly and she bit her lip. "I've known since before I came to work at NCIS. It was why I wanted to work with Gibbs; I already knew what he was. I didn't clue the Bossman in until I'd been at NCIS for about a year; he was kind of shocked when I sprang it on him."
Gibbs crooked up a corner of his lip. "Shocked? I almost fell on my ass."
Abby grinned slightly. "I've been studying vampires all my life. Most people don't realize that the mythology about them is all wrong. Sunlight has no effect on them and they don't need to sleep in coffins, although Gibbs in a coffin would be pretty cool." She raised her eyebrows at the lead agent, who smiled back tolerantly.
"Anyway, they have reflections and can eat tons of garlic and could take a bath in holy water if they wanted. What is true is they live forever-under the right circumstances-don't age like humans, have accelerated healing ability, incredible strength, enhanced senses, and are super fast. Oh, and they have to drink human blood to survive."
Tony's head snapped accusingly in Gibbs' direction at that fact. "Human blood?"
Abby looked back and forth between the two agents. "It's not a big deal, Tony. Gibbs doesn't kill for his blood and he only has to drink every few months or so. Don't make such a fuss about it."
"Sure, Abby, It's just like drinking orange juice with your breakfast." Tony's voice dripped with sarcasm.
She set her face sternly. "Some vampires are rogues; they embrace all the lore and culture and love nothing better than to kill and take advantage of the human race. I won't deny that. Others, like Gibbs and Ducky, live very moral, civilized lives; they even have a Conclave made up of a dozen well-respected vampires that establishes rules for them to live by. It's no different than how some humans are priests while others become serial killers. It's all about choice. I'm surprised you're so narrow-minded and judgmental, Tony!"
DiNozzo's forehead creased in bewilderment. "You're accusing me of being judgmental because I'm stereotyping vampires as evil creatures who prey on humans for survival! You aren't serious, are you?"
Abby let go of Tony's hand and crossed her arms. "Gibbs and Ducky are outstanding people and I won't have you insult them with your discriminatory attitudes."
"They're vampires, Abby, not people! I don't think they qualify as a special interest group!"
Gibbs hadn't said anything, listening as Abby made her case for him and Ducky while at the same time loosening Tony up and bringing back some of his willingness to debate the issue. He wasn't sure if the approach would work, but it was worth a try. It wasn't like Tony was a bigoted person to begin with; if he could just get past his own fears maybe he could be more open-minded about the problem.
A sound in the hallway caught his attention. All thoughts fled from his mind as he concentrated on the faint noise; a smell assaulted him, and he stood. Tony and Abby stopped talking and turned in his direction.
"Gabriel is here."
"Who?" Tony asked, trying to keep up with this latest development.
"What does he want Gibbs? Is he after you or Tony?"
Gibbs shook his head. "I don't know, Abby."
"Why would someone be after me? What's going on?" Tony looked back and forth between them.
There was a soft knock on the door. Gibbs motioned for Abby and Tony to move to the other side of the room. Tony grabbed his Sig off the table and took up position beside Abby, gun poised and ready to defend her. He might be ticked that she hadn't been honest with him, but that didn't mean anybody was going to be allowed to hurt her.
Gibbs didn't bother to draw his weapon, but opened the door wide. "What do you want?" he asked the man standing in the hallway.
"Why, Leroy, is that any way to greet an old friend? I thought you'd be happy to see me." The words were friendly, but the tone held something sinister.
Tony's lips parted and he lowered his gun. The man in the hall had blonde hair pulled into a low ponytail, dark golden eyes, and tanned skin. His nose was long and patrician, indicating a regal background. A chiseled chin accentuated his sharp and defined appearance. He was tall and lean, but a muscular physique rippled under the form fitting sweater he wore over a pair of faded jeans. A male model would have felt like a troll standing next to him.
DiNozzo would have recognized the man anywhere.
"You," he whispered. Abby turned worried eyes toward her friend, whose already pale skin blanched even whiter.
The man smiled, revealing dazzlingly bright teeth. "Hello, bellus. It's been a long time. I'm glad to see you remember me."
"You can't be here…..you aren't real, you were just a dream," Tony said, almost to himself, dazed eyes dropping to his feet as a kaleidoscope of half-forgotten experiences slammed through his memory. Soft lips, sharp fangs, his mother's smile, his own whimpering sobs. When realization fully hit him, DiNozzo's head jerked up. Striding tensely across the room, Tony aimed the Sig between the man's amused eyes.
He wasn't sure if bullets were enough to kill someone who, until this moment, had lived only in his nightmares, but he was damn well going to try.