March 1946
United States

Cali Gibbs unlocked the restaurant door at 9:00 am sharp. Ten minutes later, Abigail Sciuto joined her.

"So, how's Timmy?" Cali asked as she entered.

The smile that broke on Abby's face was brighter than the sun. "He's truly the most special man in the whole wide world! I am so glad he's home, Cali. He's safe and happy. It was a wonderful evening. Most everyone was still up at 1 or 2 this morning."

Abby was a couple of years older than Cali. When Mr. DiNozzo has turned over the running of the restaurant to her, she had immediately hired Abby to help. She was wonderful with the customers and she brought her mother's Italian recipes to supplement Mr. DiNozzo's.

The two girls started their normal routine, getting the dough ready to make breadsticks; checking the pantry for any ingredients for sauces that they might be lacking; and, planning the special they would serve throughout the day. Abby also started making the filling for the tiramisu that had become a restaurant favorite.

Upstairs in the apartment, Tony had finally found his bed around 1 am. He, as yet, hadn't unpacked his duffle bag and hadn't made his way into his father's room. He would need another bottle of whiskey to make that trip.

Try as he might to sleep late, his body clock told him when 6 am rolled around. He had cleaned up and then sorted through a few other things in the top drawer Sheriff Gibbs had shown him last night. He had finally made his way into the office in the back of the restaurant and was working there when the girls came in.

He had listened quietly to their chatter, enjoying the sounds of laughter and teasing. He could just pick out the slight hint of Italian accent as Abby spoke. Tony figured it was a skill left from the time spent overseas. Cali's voice was different. It had a deeper, richer timbre not unlike her father's. He remembered the necklace and slipped out and back upstairs before the girls realized he had been eavesdropping.

He was back down, this time making his presence known.

"Miss Gibbs?" He called as he entered the restaurant.

Cali and Abby shared a look. Cali responded, "In here." And began wiping flour from her hands.

Tony made his way upfront to the nearest table where the two girls worked on the day's menu items.

"I believe, Miss Gibbs, you and I need to talk."

Cali knew this conversation would come when DiNozzo the younger returned. She just hadn't figured on it being on his second day home. She joined him in the back office where Tony had taken the seat behind the desk.

"Sit, please?" he motioned to the other chair.

Cali eased down and waited.

"I wanted to thank you for taking such good care of my father. He obviously had great trust and respect for you. He certainly placed a great deal of responsibility on you. Responsibility, I'm sorry to say, that rightly should have been mine to bear."

"But you were serving our country, Antonio. He understood that." She had slipped back into the familiar name. Try as she might, Cali just couldn't think of him as Tony or Anthony. He was Antonio or Tonio, as she had begun calling him to differentiate him from his dad.

Tony smiled at the use of the name but chose not to correct her as he had only yesterday. "Well, regardless, I am grateful and wanted you to know that."

He paused, gathering his thoughts and choosing his next words carefully, "It was my father's wish for you to continue as manager. I know the restaurant has been profitable and the decisions you've made appear quite sound. As you know, my father did leave the business to me but I've been away too long to know how it runs day to day. You'll get no interference from me. I trust you will stay?"

Cali was overjoyed. All over the United States, women had had to fill male jobs and male roles while the same males were fighting in Europe and the Pacific. Now that the war was over, the women were being asked to go back home and let the men have their jobs. Cali had been afraid that would be the case here. She loved the restaurant. Thrived on the business end and meeting the people. Tonio had just granted her second greatest wish.

"Of course, Tonio. Thank you very much." She jumped up and around the desk to hug her boss.

Tony was surprised. First, by the use of the nickname given to him by his mother. Secondly, by her reaction and easy affection. Cali continued to stand by his desk after breaking the hug as he continued.

"I guess I have you to thank as well for the upkeep of the apartment?"

Cali smiled sheepishly. "I just didn't think it was right for you to come back to a dust filled, musty home. I wasn't sure which room you would use so I did clean linens in both bedrooms. I'm sorry if I was familiar."

He smiled at her choice of words, "No. It was a nice welcome. Much more than I truly expected. However, there is one thing you can answer for me."

"Yes, Tonio?"

He liked the way she said his name. "My father wanted you to have this. Why is it still in my possession?"

And he held the necklace for her inspection. Cali's answer was forthright.

"I know it belonged to your mother, Tonio. Even though your father singled it out for me, he also said that everything in the apartment and the restaurant was yours. In my mind, that included the necklace. I thought it should be your right to choose to whom it was given."

Tony stood a good foot taller than Cali so it was easy to drape the necklace and secure it while he faced her.

"His wishes were specific, Miss Gibbs. This belongs to you." He watched the pearl teardrop fall gently into her cleavage, just above the swell of her breasts. "You know, pearls get their luster from the women who wear them. That one was definitely meant for you."

Cali fingered the teardrop pearl as Tony's words washed over her. His voice held authority and affection. A woman could get lost in that voice.

"Now, what can I do to help?"

She was surprised by the offer. "Nothing if you don't want to. Abby and I are used to doing most of the work. Your father trusted us with more and more but he still liked to cook."

He followed her back to the kitchen where Abby had already started the pasta sauce. He grabbed a spoon and took a quick taste.

"That's not my father's recipe." He said accusingly.

Abby turned, a worried look as she replied, "No, Mr. DiNozzo. It's my mother's. We changed it a few weeks after your father passed."

DiNozzo smiled, "That's fine, Abby. I like this one better anyway."

Cali and Abby didn't realize they'd been holding their breath until he spoke. "But what about the rest of the dishes. Are they yours or mine?"

Cali answered, "A little of both. Your father shared all of his recipes with me. I wrote them down so I would have them. Some things people liked. Some things they liked better when we used Abby's mother's recipe. The main thing is they're all authentic family recipes. That's what's important. That's what your father wanted."

Abby nodded in agreement and then began making pasta. The lunch diners would be arriving in another hour and there was still dessert to make. To make himself useful, Tony followed Cali to the main dining room where he began covering the tables and placing the settings, napkins and plates. He added the glasses and water pitchers. All chores he had done years ago in preparing the restaurant to open.

He thought he had grieved last night but the memories assailed him fast and furious. The sounds and smells reminded him of his mother and, amazingly enough, his father, too. Another life lost that Tony couldn't stop. In his mind's eye, he suddenly saw scenes of war. He heard the cries of his comrades. More lives he couldn't save. He looked up and off and there she stood, the black haired woman who had joined him last night. His hands began to shake.

Cali had asked Tony a question. She repeated it once again and he still stood, frozen to the spot, the glass in his still shaking hand. Then, he began to squeeze.

Cali yelled, "Tonio!" at the same time Tony shattered the glass.

Both events brought him quickly to his senses. He grabbed a napkin from the nearest table and wrapped it around his hand that had started to bleed. He then turned on the girl.

Yelling he answered, "I have asked you nicely not to call me that. Now I am telling you. My name is Anthony or Tony and if that's too much for you, Miss Gibbs, you may simply call me Mr. DiNozzo."

And he stomped past her, slamming the front door on his way out. Cali's face fell. From where she stood inside the kitchen door, Abby called, "What was that all about?"

Cali turned to her friend, confusion in her voice, "I have absolutely no idea." And she grabbed the broom and began sweeping up the glass that covered the floor.


Tony found himself in a bar several blocks away from the restaurant. He took a seat in a back booth, attempting to compose himself. The bartender, another young, fresh faced kid, suddenly appeared.

Dropping a napkin on the table, he asked, "What can I get you?"

"Whiskey, straight up."

The bartender nodded his head and turned to leave when Tony stopped him, "Make it the whole bottle…" he paused, waiting for a name.

The bartender smiled, "It's Jimmy. Jimmy Palmer. Right away, Lieutenant DiNozzo."

As he brought the bottle and a glass, Tony stopped him again. "Do I know you, Mr. Palmer?"

"No, sir. I was at the station yesterday. Heard the mayor introduce you then."

Tony smiled and reached for his wallet. Jimmy stopped him, "The first one's on me."

Tony thanked him and still gave the bartender a ten dollar bill. "Let me know when that runs out, okay?"

Jimmy nodded and went back to washing glasses and listening to the radio behind the bar.

Tony started on his second bottle in less than 24 hours.


Twelve hours later found Tony still at the bar. He had gone through his third bottle of whiskey and Jimmy had started a tab. Tony refused to eat, preferring his nourishment in liquid form. He had not gotten loud or rowdy, but Palmer was concerned how the young soldier was going to find his way home. So he did the only thing he knew to do. Palmer called Sheriff Gibbs.

Gibbs came in through the back door, catching Palmer's eye as he did so. By 11:00 pm the bar had plenty of patrons and Gibbs didn't want to do anything to hurt Jimmy's business. The bartender pointed toward the booth just around the corner from where Gibbs stood and then went back to work. Jethro peaked around the side to see DiNozzo trying to pour another glass from a now empty bottle.

"Well, hello, DiNozzo." Gibbs rich voice washed over Tony. He looked up, trying to focus on the older man.

His speech, more slurred than even the night before, he replied, "Hello, Sherf Bibbs. Wanna drink?" He held up the empty bottle and waved it around.

Gibbs smiled, "No, thanks, Anthony. I'm on duty and can't be seen drinking in here. But, you know," he paused. Tony looked up as the Sheriff slid into the booth, "If you came back to my office with me, we could have a drink there."

Tony smiled sloppily, "Really? Okay, let's go." And he tried to slide past Gibbs. Gibbs grabbed the younger man's arm and helped him out of the booth and out the back door, nodding to Jimmy as he left.

He poured DiNozzo into the squad car and had him back at the jail in ten minutes. The whole ride, Tony babbled, not making sense to anyone but himself. As Gibbs escorted him into the jail and onto a cot in a cell, Tony said, "I thought we were going to drink?"

Gibbs nodded, "We will but you need to sit here while I go get the bottle, okay?"

Like a little boy being promised a treat, DiNozzo nodded, "Okay, right here." And slapped at the cot. He missed the edge and wound up falling onto the bed.

Gibbs shook his head and rolled Tony the rest of the way up onto the cot. He grabbed a trash can from the desk and put it beside the bed. Covering Tony with a wool blanket, he spoke quietly, "Get some sleep, Anthony. We'll have that drink later."

Tony nodded and was soon snoring. Gibbs closed the cell door but didn't lock it. Grabbing a chair, he pulled it close to the cell and got comfortable. It was going to be a long night and Anthony DiNozzo was going to be a bear in the morning.