AN - Many many thanks for all the reviews - I read each and every one and am grateful for your ehthusism, interest and support. I wish I could reply to you all but that would leave me no time to right - so instead I'm trying to show my appreciation by continuing to update as fast as I humanly can. And for those of you would catch the line about 'no contact' and think hang on - what about the birthday power sander - I have a plan for that!

Gibbs had had to make a number of difficult calls in his career. Telling a family that their child was dead by far the hardest thing he was ever required to do. Explaining to unsuspecting relatives that their loved one had committed a crime brought its own difficulties. But calling the family of one of his team to admit that that person had been hurt on his watch was a duty he always dreaded. If he had learnt anything it was that reactions were as individual as fingerprints. No two circumstances were ever quite the same. Still, nothing had quite prepared him for David DiNozzo.

"I'm sorry Special Agent Gibbs but Mr DiNozzo doesn't accept unsolicited telephone calls under any circumstances," The PA advised him. "If its a legal matter .."

"It's about his son." Gibbs cut her off.

"His son?" The woman paused, before asking in an uncertain tone. "Are you quite sure you have the right number sir?"

"Well, let's see," Gibbs was beginning to get ticked off. He didn't have time for this. Tony didn't have time for this. "I have the entire resources of a Federal Agency at my fingertips, so yeah I think I have the right number!"

"Look, Agent Gibbs, I'm not telling you how to do your job," The woman sounded distinctly uncomfortable now. "But I've worked with Mr DiNozzo for five years and I've never even heard him mention a son."

Gibbs blinked. He had known that things between Tony and his father were strained but he hadn't imagined anything like this. What kind of father could just wash his hands of his own flesh and blood so completely? What the hell had happened between them? Pushing that thought aside for a moment he focused on the task in hand.

"Well, somebody there must know he exists and right now he needs emergency surgery to save his life," Gibbs snapped. "So, I suggest you put me through to a person who can help me before I have you written up as an accessory in his murder!"

He only realised he was shouting, when Abby tugged furiously on his sleeve, turning his attention to look at her he ignored the sounds of protest coming out of the cell.

"We should go back to my lab," Abby told him urgently. "I know a way that will get us to Daddy DiNozzo direct. It's not exactly legal, so don't ask if it is. But it is fast."

"Let's go." Gibbs agreed, hanging up on the PA without a second thought.

He drove at breakneck speed, well aware that every minute was seconds DiNozzo might not have. As they exited the elevator into Abby's lab his heart sank when he heard a familiar heavy tread coming down the stairs. Urging Abby forward into her office he countered her wounded look with quick, urgent, sign language, to find the number. Still confused, she nonetheless nodded and went, giving Gibbs just enough time to turn around and arrange his features into a neural expression before Morrow emerged from the stairwell.

"If I didn't know better I would think you were trying to avoid me, skulking around down here," Morrow regarded him. "It's a good job I had security notify me the minute you entered the Navy yard."

"We just came from the Hospital," Gibbs shrugged blandly. "Abby forgot her purse."

Morrow decided not to pursue the point out that in all the time he had known Miss Scutio he had never seen her actually carry a purse, preferring to keep her valuables in the hollow heel of her shoe to make life easier when clubbing. Right now, they had more important things to discuss.

"How is Agent DiNozzo?"

"Multiple stab wounds," Gibbs reported. "He almost bled out. They are prepping him for surgery now."

"I see," Morrow sighed. "And I don't suppose you have any idea what he was doing over at Sullivan's place do you?"

"I have nothing concrete at this time, sir."

"And even if you did you would still stall until you could get the full story out of your boy," Morrow eyed him. "I don't need to tell you that if the Metro investigation turns up anything which might link DiNozzo to Sullivan's criminal activity then his association with this Agency will be terminated. Lord knows, he's already used up his nine lives."

"DiNozzo's not a criminal, sir."

"Jethro," Morrow hesitated, he hated that he had to ask this, but if he didn't others would, better for them all if they got this out in the open. "Don't get me wrong, DiNozzo's record in law enforcement speaks for itself, but his father is a person of interest to the FBI .."

"They've never been able to prove anything, sir."

"You think that will cut any ice with IA?" Morrow retorted sharply, shaking his head before continuing. "DiNozzo's shaping up to be a good Agent. I'm not about to loose him to a witch hunt. But you need to keep him on a tighter leash or it will be both your asses on the line. Are we clear, Special Agent Gibbs?"

"I'll take care of it, sir." Gibbs vowed, motivated more by the image of the young man left fighting for his life because he was too stubborn and too proud to ask for help, than the reprimand.

"See that you do."

"Gibbs! Gibbs! Abby rushed in, waving a post it note only to stop dead when she saw the Director, guilt written all over her face. "Oops. Sorry. Just keep talking. Pretend I'm not here. In fact, I'll just leave .."

"Abby." Gibbs calm voice stopped her.

"I probably don't want to know, do I?" Morrow shook his head. "Don't answer that young lady. Alright, I'll go make a couple of calls to Metro see if I can find out what the hell is going on and ease things along any. Whatever you are planning Gibbs try to stay on this side of legal. This Agency does not need another scandal."

"Understood, sir." Gibbs agreed.

He waited only until Morrow was in the elevator before taking the post-it note from Abby and, scowling at the number, before holding it at arms length, pulling out his phone with his other hand he began to dial.

"It's his personal cell," Abby was talking. "The one he takes everywhere with him, even on his yacht, and he's the only one who's ever allow to answer it in case it's some super secret deal."

"Yeah?" Gibbs waited for the number to connect. It began to ring. "How'd you get it?"

"Gibbs, I told you not to ask!" Abby scowled at him, before she easily capitulated, as he had known she would. "I got hold of Tony's cousin Petey and I blackmailed him until he caved and gave me the number."

"Blackmailed?" Gibbs raised a brow.

"Just a few harmless threats, well relatively harmless anyway, Tony told me some pretty embarrassing stories about him," Abby grinned. "And it doesn't really count as blackmail because now I won't have to use them."

"Abs" Gibbs rolled his eyes. "You know it doesn't work like that."

"Well, it should," Abby defended her point of view. Then she frowned. "Isn't it kinda hinky that he was more scared of his uncle than he was worried about Tony being in the Hospital? I mean, that's not the way families should .."

Gibbs pressed a finger gently to her lips to silence her as he heard the line click and the party at the other end pick up. The voice sounded like Tony but the tone was sharper, more demanding.

"Who the hell is this and how did you get my number?"

"My name is Special Agent Gibbs of NCIS. I work with your son." Gibbs said evenly.

"As I'm sure my PA told me when you rang, Special Agent Gibbs," DiNozzo surprised him. "I do not have a son. Whatever trouble he has got himself into this time he can pay for his own lawyers. He's no concern of mine."

Gibbs sucked in a breath as he struggled to hold onto his temper. The bastard had known all along that he had been trying to reach him and he hadn't even bothered to come to the phone to see if his only son was alive or dead.

"Your son is in the Hospital, he was stabbed in the line of duty," Gibbs didn't think that was too much of a stretch. DiNozzo had still been on Agency time after all. "He needs emergency surgery to address the internal bleeding."

"Then I suggest you stop wasting my time and track down his medical proxy," David DiNozzo pointed out with a sharpness that Gibbs wanted to interpret as concern but knew could just as easily be irritation. "My legal obligations towards Anthony ended when he graduated from Rhode Island. I have neither seen nor spoken to him since. I can't help you."

"His medical proxy is dead Detective Michael Dyer was killed during an undercover operation in Baltimore," Gibbs said bluntly. "Without the surgery your son's condition will continue to deteriorate."

As his declaration was met with nothing but silence Gibbs jaw tightened, he felt like he was undertaking a hostage negotiation not speaking to the father of his wounded Agent. Still, two could play at that game. Drawing on all his experience he tried to think of another way to reach the man.

"He's been asking for you." He spoke quietly.

It was a gamble, he knew that. Not that he gave a rat's ass for what David DiNozzo thought but he wasn't at all sure how Tony would react if his estranged father suddenly turned up at his bedside. Still, he had never met a young man so achingly in need of the firm guidance and steadfast love and support of a father. God knows Gibbs would give anything to hug his daughter one last time. He felt he owed it to the lost boy that he occasionally glimpsed in the depths of DiNozzo's expressive eyes to see if he could help heal the rift with his father.

"We both know that is a lie, Agent Gibbs," David DiNozzo replied implacably. "My son is almost as strong willed as I am. I doubt that he would welcome my presence even on his deathbed."

"So, you're just going to let him die? This is your son we're talking about!" Gibbs was astounded. Again his efforts were met with frosty silence. Biting the inside of his cheek so hard that he tasted blood, he forced himself to focus on his objective. At least, the man hadn't hung up on him yet. There was still hope. With an effort he tried for reasonable. "Look, you don't have to come. Just send a fax to me care of NCIS and I'll take care of it."

"I'm afraid things are not that simple," DiNozzo replied. "I'm about to undertake a particularly sensitive business negotiation. If my competitors were to get wind of my intentions the impact on my organisation could be disastrous. I simply cannot risk the livelihoods of all my employees for the sake of just one man."

"That man is your only son you heartless bastard!" Gibbs could not restrain himself.

"And I only have the word of a total stranger that there is anything wrong with him," David DiNozzo's tone turned icy. "For all I know, he is standing right beside you and this is nothing more than another one of the FBI's botched attempts to land me in jail for perfectly legitimate business interests."

"He. Is. Going. To. Die." Gibbs was on his feet now, putting every ounce of his emotion, conviction, .. and fear .. into his voice as he yelled his frustration.

In the silence that followed, there was a moment when he thought he had got through to the man, a soft breathe of a sigh echoed across the line, an expected sound that spoke of loss and pain and sadness. But when David DiNozzo finally spoke his tone was all business.

"I will make some enquires of my own. If your information turns out to be correct I will be in touch."

As the line went dead, Gibbs stood frozen in shock. Tony didn't have the time to wait whilst his father made his enquires. He had promised the Doctor that he would secure the permission he needed to operate and he had failed. And the odds were it would cost the younger man his life. A wave of pain and guilt and fury washed over him at such a dammed senseless loss of such a bright, compassionate, soul and he turned, blindly striking out, welcoming the hot rush of pain as his fist made a hole in the wall.

Not enough. Not nearly enough. He drew his fist back.

"Gibbs, Gibbs, no!"

Heedless of the danger, Abby dashed forward, seizing his arm in her two tiny hands. Her anxious voice and familiar touch cut through his fury more effectively an order from any DI.

"Don't," she pleaded, her eyes full of tears, as she met his gaze, her fingers reaching to massage his bruised and bleeding knuckles. "Please don't. Tony wouldn't want this."

Sucking in a breath, he recovered his composure enough to give her a small nod, before he turned on his heel and strode towards the elevator. Abby stood frozen in place, hopping from foot to foot, as she tried to decide whether to hurry after him, or give him the space he so obviously needed.

"Gibbs, where are you going?" She asked urgently.

He spoke without breaking stride, or looking back and his tone was still full of pain and frustration as he responded.

"To fix this!"

As she watched the elevator doors close on his chiselled features Abby wrung her hands together and prayed to all the Gods she knew that Gibbs could find a way. Otherwise, she was very much afraid she would lose both of her two favourite men.

"Gibbs will find a way, Gibbs will find a way," She chanted, almost like a mantra. "He always does."