Hi everyone. Words cannot express how much everyone's love, support and prayers have meant to me this past month. In all honesty I expected to hear a couple I'm sorry's and some take your times but the outpouring of support and affection really surprised me and blessed me beyond measure. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the prayers and kind words that have come my way, and I want you all to know that I thank you so very much and they really have made an incredible difference.
I'm trying very hard to maintain my sense of good humor and regain my balance, and somehow typing out this chapter honestly seemed to help. It was one more piece of my world getting back to normal. I know it's not very long so I hope you'll forgive me its length.
On the bright side, it may be short, but at least I didn't kill the dog.
~Renee
Tony gripped the doorknob and reached to flip the deadbolt when Doc growled from his side.
"Doc? What's going on?"
He looked back up at the door and saw the shadows coming through the curtains.
Shadows.
Not one.
Multiple.
Toby wasn't coming by today, he had plans for the evening and dad always, always, let him know when he was bringing someone else home, even if it was Ducky or the McGeek.
He wouldn't have come home with a guest, and he wouldn't have come early without calling.
Tony took a step backwards, slowly and quietly, gripping the back of Doc's neck.
"Come on boy." he whispered. "Come on, let's go."
He could hear the strangers messing with the front door and he hurried out of foyer.
"Sam." he whistled low and the white longhaired dog came scurrying from the kitchen, his tongue hanging from inbetween his teeth. He grabbed the dog by the collar and pulled them both through the kitchen and to the backdoor.
"Go boys. Go play."
Sam scampered off, running after the worn tennis ball that lay on the deck but Doc remained firmly placed by Tony's side.
"Doc go, I'll be right there I have to find the cats."
The dog didn't move. Just stared at him with wide resolute eyes.
"Doc just… my gosh I'm arguing with a dog."
With that he spun on his heel and hurried back into the house.
"Rusty...Danny...Atticus! Guys, now is not the time for this. Please come out. Please!" he hissed as he looked under furniture and behind the piles of books he had scattered across his floor.
He heard a thump from upstairs and hurried back to the steps, ducking low so he wouldn't be seen, Doc right behind him. He reached the top of the steps when he heard the deadbolt click.
"No." he whispered and ran down the hall towards his room.
He shut the door firmly and silently, and began to shove his dresser in front of it.
"Come on, come on. Dad'll kill me if I get hurt because I got between robbers and the house because of cats."
Finally the dresser shifted and began to move towards the door, blocking the strangers from entrance.
"Okay. Good. That should buy me some time. Now what?"
He looked around the room, focusing in on the window. He rushed over to the glass and threw open the pane.
"I can reach that branch. No worse than the old ones. I can still remember how to do that. Not that hard. But what about..."
He looked back at the animals. Danny and Rusty lay curled up and tangled together in the middle of his bed while Atticus sat on his desk, washing his face on a pile of papers.
And Doc. Doc was leaning against his side, growling at the door, his ears twitching.
He couldn't get them all out. Not the dog. Not Doc.
And he couldn't leave them.
He just couldn't.
Okay so...Plan B?
Did he have a plan B?
There was a startling clatter from the lower level followed by unfamiliar voices. Whoever they were, they were in.
Okay. So no window. Can't go back the way I came. So...hide?
He heard glass shatter and the sound of angry shouting. He couldn't make out the words, but the intent was clear. They were here, they were angry, and they wanted something.
Stupid little bastard. Where are you, you little shit? You're not my son, my son wouldn't be such a cowardly little prick and hide from me. Where are you?!
Tony dug his fingers into his hair and gripped the sandy brown locks.
"Okay. Focus Tones. You can't do this now. You can't. It's not dad out there. He's not here. It's just...it's just someone robbing the house. That's so much better."
He winced and took a deep breath when he realized that actually, yeah, that did make him feel better.
"Alright, so we're okay. Not panicking just-"
Someone rattled the door.
Oh God. Please help me.
Tony backed up, looking around the room for something, anything to help him.
The door shuddered again and he could hear the lock breaking along with someone shouting in Spanish. He could recognize some of the words, traces of his childhood listening to Miguel swearing out his stupidity flittered through his mind as the screaming curses drifted through the door.
It was shoved once more and his dresser began to shift.
They were going to get in. They weren't here to rob the place. They were for him.
Please help me.
With one more terrible crack the door burst open and two men barged into the room. The cats scattered and Doc tensed next him, his hair standing on end and baring his teeth.
Everything froze and Tony stared at them with wide green eyes, his hands shaking as he gripped Doc's coat.
"Anthony Gibbs."
Surprise flickered through him hearing his name said with such venom. DiNozzo was something he used to being spat with disgust, and Anthony was always said with contempt but Gibbs, not so much. Even when someone was absolutely furious with his dad, his name was still said with a begrudging respect.
He straightened, thinking on that respect and met their masked eyes.
"You wants to know?"
The two exchanged glances and nodded.
"That's him."
They started towards him, their intent clear as Tony began to back away, his heart pounding in his throat.
"You don't want to do this. You know who I am so you know who my dad is. There isn't a stone he won't turn to get me back. A place he won't look. And when he finds me, you won't know what hits you. He's like a storm. Nothing will stop him. You don't want to face that. He'll do anything to keep me safe and bring me home. And he will find me."
The men smiled at him cruelly.
"Oh Anthony, we're counting on that."
The came another step closer and Doc lunged at them, growling and snapping.
"Doc!"
The dog gnashed his teeth and a cry came from one of the men and blood began to pour from his leg. The dog barked, harsh and savage and started after the other man when he pulled out his gun.
"No!"
Tony leapt forward, wrapping his arms around his pet's neck and using his own legs to knock the large dog's legs out from under him.
"Please. Please don't."
The man studied him dispassionately.
"Erulio. Shoot the damn dog."
The man, Erulio apparently, shook his head and slipped the gun back into it's holster.
"No. You come with us, right now and we won't shoot your dog."
Tony stared at him, as the twisted symmetry washed over him.
The last time this happened someone was threatening to shoot Gibbs and he walked away with a stranger, only to be delivered into his fathers hands and nearly killed before ever getting back to the only man who had become so precious to him.
Was he really going to do this again? For a dog?
He looked at the german shepherd, wiggling beneath him, still trying to protect him from the men obviously here to hurt him and sighed.
Yes, yes he was.
"Just, don't hurt him. Please."
"Get up."
Tony sighed and stroked the dog gently behind the ear, standing up slowly. He gripped the dog by the scruff of the neck and pulled him forcefully to the closet.
"I'm fine Doc. No one's going to hurt me. Everything's okay. I'm okay."
He rested his hand on the top of his head and closed his eyes before whispering quietly.
"You're a good boy Doc. Good good dog."
The dog whined at Tony closed the door and turned back to the men.
"Okay. I'm going to go with you, no fuss. But please, what the hell is going on?"
Xxx
Tobias swung the car into the driveway, leaping out nearly before it had fully set itself in park.
Please let me be here on time. Let us be over reacting. Let him be okay.
"Tony!?"
The front door was hanging open.
No. Please God no.
He ran through the door yelling.
"Tony!"
He could hear something upstairs, a muffling banging and what sounded like one of the dogs.
He ran up the stairs still calling for the boy.
"Tony?"
He stuck his head in the door and blanched at the sight of the pool of blood on the floor.
"No. No no no. Not again. Not Tony. No."
He could hear something in closet and swung towards it, his gun ready.
With careful movements he jerked the door open and was knocked off his feet by a growling german shepherd.
"Doc!" he cried and the dog backed off, recognizing the scent of the FBI agent.
The man hesitated when he saw the blood on the muzzle of the large dog and then looked back at the pool on the floor, realizing what must have happened.
"You tried to stop them. Okay, check local hospital. Dog bite victim. Now if you're here, where's-"
"Tony!"
Tobias closed his eyes then hurried out of the door, coming to the top of the steps to see Gibbs rushing in the front door yelling frantically for his son.
"Tobias?"
His throat was tight as he shook his head.
Gibbs clasped his hands into fists so tightly his arms shook before turning and cracking his hand into the wall, making a hole in the plaster.
"Have you checked everywhere."
Tobias sighed and started down the steps towards his friend.
"He's not upstairs. Not answering. Dog was locked in the closet. Looked like he attacked one of the assailants. I haven't checked the downstairs yet."
Gibbs nodded unable to speak. It didn't matter. They both knew Tony wasn't there.
His son was gone.
He had lost his son.
Again.
Tobias came next to him and put his hand on his shoulder.
"I'll contact your director, call your team, you get Mike up here, he's going to want to know about this. We found him once. We'll find him again."
Gibbs turned away, glaring at the broken front door. Doc came down from Tony's room and marched over to Gibbs, huffing as he approached the man. The dog looked up at him, blood still staining his fur and then sat at his feet, growling at the open space.
Gibbs reached down, put his hand on the dog's head and sighed.
"Don't worry, it's going to be alright boy. They have no idea what they've just done. We're getting him back."