Several days earlier...
"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know," Tony sang along with his Dean Martin holiday album as he goofily danced about his apartment, adding finishing touches to the tree. "Where the treetops glisten, and children listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow..."
He was in a great mood. The day before, he'd talked with his father on the phone to verify that he was, indeed, coming into town in just a day now, and actually staying at Tony's place instead of a hotel until the day after Christmas.
They'd been talking about it for a month, and though he'd expected an excuse to come up at any moment, his father had surprisingly shoved aside any other event that came his way. He even sounded quite excited on the phone before they ended the call.
Tony had waited until that night to run out and shop for this. Part of him wanted to wait to pick out a tree with his dad, but the kid in him couldn't stand to wait that long. That, and he really wanted to see the look on his dad's face when he walked in the room and saw the lights all strung up on it.
Now, not only were there lights, but he'd gone and put probably a hundred different ornaments on it. Some new things he'd gotten over the years, and a lot of older things he'd taken from his mother's collection years ago.
Plates of cookies were cooling on the counter, and everything they'd need for Christmas dinner was in the fridge. Music lists were waiting to be played, and a few good movies were laid out beside the player. Everything was perfect; exactly how he'd pictured it when he'd planned it all out. For so many years he'd wanted this to happen, and now he finally had his chance. There wasn't a single reason in the world not to go all out.
His decorating was interrupted by the ringing of his home phone. Factoring in the New York area code, he figured it was his father. He had a layover for the night in the big city and promised to give him a call when he got to his hotel. But just in case... "DiNozzo residence," he answered.
"Am I speaking with Anthony DiNozzo Jr.?" the man on the other line asked.
"That's me," he replied with curiosity.
"Sir, I'm Sgt. O'Hara with NYPD. I'm afraid I have some bad news."
"NYPD? Bad news?" Tony shook his head in a bit of confusion.
"I hate to bring this to you, seein' it's so close to Christmas and all..."
"What is it? You got a case you need NCIS help with? I'm not exactly the person you should be calling..."
"Uh...no, sir. I... I'm not sure what you mean. But uh... Sir, it's about your father."
"My father? Oh geez...what'd he do, now?" He wiped a hand down his face.
"He didn't do anything, sir. I'm callin' to inform you that he was checkin' in at his hotel and suffered a heart attack."
"What?" his face blanched and he leaned heavily against the wall. "W- where is he? What hospital?"
"Sir, I'm afraid he didn't make it,"the officer told him, sympathetically. "We'll need you to come verify that it's really him, and to claim the body, of course. You're the only one listed in his emergency care list..."
The voice faded as the ringing of disbelief took over Tony's ability to listen any further. "I'll be on the next flight out," he decided to tell him as he threw on his coat, grabbed his keys and wallet and hurried out the door...
11 00 11 00 11
Five hours later found Tony reentering his apartment. He'd flown to NYC, identified his father's body just before his lawyer arrived to take care of arrangements, and returned home in a daze.
Walking in to the apartment was like a slap in the face, in addition to the horror of the evening. He hurried past the living room without even glancing at the brightly lit tree, and wandered into the kitchen, intent on getting a glass of water. But upon seeing the cookies laid out on the counter, something snapped inside of him.
Tony yelled out in a saddened rage, swiping the plates from their place on the counter top, and they crashed to the floor. He turned to get out of the room and only ended up back in the living room. The phone still sat on the coffee table. He picked it up and threw it across the room and spun around to pull down the mocking tree.
Once the ornaments crashed on the floor, sufficiently destroying everything he'd worked so hard on, the tears flowed freely and abundantly
His father was gone..forever. He would never have the family Christmas he'd always longed for. He'd never have his father...
It hurt too much.
He had to leave...get away from this feelings of dread and utter disappointment and despair. He'd suck it up and move on, just like his father had always taught him.
Tony DiNozzo would not let himself look weak...
Tbc...