Here we go! Chapter 17! Enjoy :-)
I DO NOT own…well, you know the drill!
Tony found it near impossible to sit still as David drove up the street. Fidgeting in his seat, Tony couldn't help but wonder what was on the mind of the man who drove silently next to him. After revealing that Kate was pregnant, David didn't have much to say to Tony. During breakfast, David sat across from Tony, staring at him, conveniently tapping the bottom of a steak knife against the table despite the fact they had French toast and eggs for breakfast. The morning progressed and David still had nothing to say to Tony. It wasn't until later that afternoon, that David told Tony to take a drive with him, which was how he landed here.
David pulled into the parking lot of a secluded bar and got out of the car. Tony let out a deep breath as he got out and followed David into the bar. Inside, David headed straight to the bar and got the attention of the bartender.
"Two shots of whiskey and two Budweiser's," ordered David.
"Oh, I'm not a whiskey guy, Dave," said Tony with a smile.
The bartender handed David the drinks and he slammed down a shot of whiskey in front of Tony.
"Don't call me, Dave!" David took down the shot of whiskey before picking up his beer and walking over to a booth on the other side of the bar.
Tony sighed as he downed his shot of whiskey, felling its burn down his throat. "Okay, Dave!"
Tony took his beer and joined David in the booth. Sitting there, Tony could feel David's gaze burning into his face as David took a sip from his bottle of beer. Following suit, Tony took a sip from his beer, wiping the excess sobs from his mouth after missing the top of the bottle due to nervousness.
"You nervous, son?" asked David, eyes still fixed on Tony.
"Not at all, sir," lied Tony.
David took another sip from his beer. Tony played with his bottle in his hands, as he looked around the bar trying to find relief from David's stare. Kate was right, pissing off Gibbs paled in comparison to sitting in that bar with her father. In fact, Tony would have rather received ten head slaps from Gibbs then spend one more silent minute with David.
"You're not planning on killing me and throwing my body in a trash can out back, are you?" joked Tony, his attempt to break the silence.
"Nope!" replied David, taking a sip of his beer. "I'm too old to do time again."
"Again?"
David gave Tony a sinister smile as he signaled to the bartender for two more shots. The waitress brought over shots placing one in front of each of the men. Tony frowned as he downed his shot, chasing it with the beer to kill the burn.
"I got five kids, Tony. Three boys and two girls. Katie is my youngest." David took a sip of his beer. "When you have kids they don't tell you that the job of being a parent doesn't end when they turn eighteen. It keeps going well into their adulthood."
Tony took a sip of his beer. "Is that so, sir?"
"When you raise a daughter, you find yourself being her protector not only physically but emotionally. You take it upon yourself to make sure that she doesn't slip up and end up with some half ass of a man."
"That makes sense."
"My Katie Pie slipped up. In the worst kind of way!" David took another sip of beer. "I'm going to shot straight with you, Tony. I'm not happy about the situation between you and my daughter. But for the sake of my daughter and my soon to be grandchildren, I'll learn to deal with it but that doesn't mean I have to deal with you!"
"Well I mean you do kind of have to deal with me being that I am the father?"
"No, I don't!" David took a sip of beer. "Now this would be the point where I tell you how I expect you to make an honest woman out of my daughter and blah, blah, blah but there's no point in me wasting my breath! I know your type, Tony. You're a playboy! A heartbreaker! The only reason you're even with my Katie Pie is because you got her pregnant! You're just trying to put on a good face! Play house for a little while but as soon as those kids are born you'll realize you made a mistake and bolt out the door."
"Excuse me?"
"Tony, I know as well as you do that you don't plan on staying with Kate. She's nothing more than a speed bump on your road of heartbreak. As soon as another woman catches your eye, you'll desert Kate and those babies. The upside to it is that I won't have to deal with you, just make sure you send the check every month!"
Tony looked at David. "Let me make sure I got this. The fact that Kate is pregnant doesn't really bother you?"
"Nope."
"It's the fact that she got pregnant by me that you don't like?"
"Yep."
"And you don't like me because you think that I'm only around to put on a good face but as soon as some other woman comes along I'm going to leave Kate to raise my kids by herself?"
"That about sums it up!"
Tony took a hard swig of beer. "With all due respect, sir, you don't even know me."
"I don't need to know you, son! I've heard the things Kate has said about you. You're an immature and irresponsible womanizer and honestly my Katie would be better off without you."
"I may have been all those things at one time but I'm not anymore! Not since I've been with Kate! I finally have everything I ever wanted with Kate and I don't plan to ruin that! I love your daughter!" replied Tony, sternly.
"Word are words, son!"
"They're not words! They're facts! I'm in love with your daughter!"
"So, you're in love her? Who's to say she's in love with you? She's never even mentioned you, son? Doesn't that say something to you?" David took a sip of beer. "Heck, maybe I'll get luck and Katie will come to her senses and leave you?"
David's words hit Tony below the belt. David ordered up two more shots, drinking his as soon as it got to the table. Tony just stared at his.
"Then why are we here?"
David took a sip of beer. "Thought I'd help ease the pain and buy you a drink."
"You should go?"
David chuckled. "That liquor has gone to your head, son! You can't tell me to leave!"
"You've already made it up in your mind that you don't like me and you want me to have nothing to do with your daughter! Nothing, I say or do is going to change your mind so why waste time? You should just go?"
"You got a lot of nerve?"
"I'm not going to seat here and let you insult me or my relationship with Kate. Since you don't like me, leave! I'll find my own way back."
Offended, David finished off his beer before throwing some money on the table, getting up and walking out the bar, saying nothing to Tony.
Back at Kate's apartment, Kate sat on the sofa watching as her mother and Arissa baked cupcakes in the kitchen.
"Caitlin, you sure you don't want to help?" asked Ellen, all smiles as she worked with the girl.
"No, I'm fine, right here!"
Ellen walked out of the kitchen and looked at her daughter. "Caitlin, you are absolutely glowing! I can't believe you are pregnant!"
"And that would be the tenth time you have said that to me today!"
"Sorry, sweetheart but it's not every day that you find out that you are going to be a grandmother for the first time."
"You have four grandkids, Mom."
"Well, a first time grandmother from your youngest child."
Kate laughed.
"So how has pregnancy been for you so far?"
Kate ran her hand over her stomach. "It's been great. Morning sickness sucked and now my back is starting to hurt but it's one of the greatest experiences of my life. Tony has really been great through it all."
"Tony seems like a great guy despite everything you told us about him?"
"He is! I've never seen a man so excited about unplanned fatherhood as Tony."
"Tony, must really love you?"
Kate smile to herself.
"You love him too, don't you?" asked Ellen, noticing the look on her daughter's face.
"What?" questioned Kate.
"I see that look on your face. You love Tony?"
Kate struggled for words.
"You know it's okay if you do, Caitlin?"
"It's just weird you, know? We started as co-workers and then became friends…"
"And now you love him?"
"Yeah, I do!"
Ellen smiled as she hugged Kate.
"Oh, Caitlin! I always wanted you to find a great man and I know in my heart you have found that in Tony! You two are going to make great parents!"
"I hope so. I can't help but feel like I'm not ready for this? I'm about to have two little people depending on me for everything! I've never been so scared in my life!"
"Caitlin, no one is ever ready for parenthood. I remember when I found out I was pregnant with your brother, D.J. I was so scared that I wasn't going to be a good mother. It takes time but eventually you get the hang of it. I mean, just look at how well you have done with Arissa. She's so happy for a child who recently lost her father. These babies will be lucky to have a mom like you."
Arissa ran out of the kitchen carrying a spoonful of frosting.
"Kate! Kate! I put frosting on the cupcakes!"
"I can see!" smiled Kate as she wiped frosting from Arissa's cheek.
"Grandma Todd say you like sprinkles on your cupcake!"
"Grandma Todd?" asked Kate as she looked to her smiling mom.
"You want to help put on the sprinkles?" asked Arissa, excited.
"Come on! It will be fun! I'll even let you eat the extra frosting! Give those babies a little sugar rush!" insisted Ellen as she pat Kate's stomach.
"Sure, why not?"
Arissa giggled as she took Kate's hand and went into the kitchen.
McGee entered into the bar with a puzzled look on his face. He looked around the bar until he saw Tony waving him down from a booth.
"What do you want, Tony?"
"Geez, Probie! What's with the outfit?" asked Tony, noting McGee's turtle neck and sports coat.
"I came here straight from my writers' club meeting."
"Could you have at least changed? You're embarrassing me!"
"You asked me to come here so I'm here! What do you want?"
Tony sighed looking at McGee with sad eyes. "I need a friend, McGee."
"So, you called me?"
"Your number was the first one that came to my head."
"Have you been drinking?"
"A little."
"That would explain why you choose me as the "friend" to call."
"I'm weak here, Probie. Can you sit with me?"
McGee sat down in the booth across from Tony as the waitress approached the men and poured Tony another drink.
"You want anything? It's on me."
"What are you drinking?"
"Whiskey."
"You don't drink whiskey?"
"You want something or not?"
"I'll have a gin and tonic," said McGee to the waitress.
"Gin and tonic? You a classy man, McGee!" said Tony, as he downed his shot.
"What's going on, Tony?
"Kate's father is here."
"Really? Where?" asked McGee as he looked around the bar.
"Well he's not here here but he's here in town. He and Kate's mom decided to surprise her this morning while we were sleeping."
"What does this have to do with me?"
"He doesn't like me, McGee."
"Well you do have that effect on people, Tony!"
"He seems to think that I'm just some playboy whose going to break Kate's heart and leave her once the twins' are born?"
"It's seems your reputation precedes you, Tony."
"I tried to convince him that I'm not like that anymore but he didn't want to hear it. He has it set in his mind that I'm the wrong guy for Kate."
"He just met you, Tony. He's probably still dealing with the fact that his daughter is pregnant by some guy she works with! Just give him some time, he'll come around eventually."
"Doubt it!" The waitress brought McGee his drink along with another shot for Tony which he quickly drank. "I don't know, Probie? Maybe you should have knocked Kate up? He would probably love you."
McGee laughed nervous at Tony's comment until he saw the evil eye Tony was giving him. "No, no! I can assure you Tony that you are definitely the right guy for Kate. Her dad just can't see that because he doesn't know you like we do."
"He would prefer Kate leave me. Hey, maybe she will?" Tony signaled for another shot.
"Tony, maybe you should slow down? You're not thinking clearly."
"What? You know she never actually said she loved me back? Maybe she's the one just putting on face?"
"This is Kate we are talking about."
"It's not like we are married, Probie. There's nothing stopping Kate from leaving me! I mean she could just take the kids and go, if she wanted."
"Tony, you're drunk and you're upset. You're saying stuff you don't mean."
"Maybe?" Tony sat silently and thought for a moment. "You mind giving me a ride home? Standing up to Kate's dad I told him to leave and he drove me here."
David arrived at Kate's apartment without Tony.
"Where's Tony, Dad?" asked Kate as she walked into the living room.
"How should I know? Your rude ass "boyfriend" told me to leave the bar!" spat David.
"What happened?"
"I don't like the boy, Katie, and I told him that! He's no good for you!"
"You just met him, Dad!"
"He's nothing but a playboy! He's going to break your heart, I just know it! How could you be so stupid to get involved with a guy like him?"
"Dad, me and Tony's relationship is none of your concern!"
"It is my concern, Katie! You are my daughter! I don't want to see you end up with a guy like him!"
"Tony may not be the type of man you would have picked for me but he's the one I want!"
Ellen entered the room. "Will you two keep it down? I just got Arissa to sleep!"
"Sorry, Mom! But Dad here is being unreasonable!" replied Kate in anger.
"What's going on, David? Where's Tony?"
"I left him at the bar!" replied David.
"You left him a bar?"
"He told me to leave!"
"What did you do?"
"Nothing! I just let him know how I felt about his relationship with Katie!"
Ellen rolled her eyes. "David, you can't keep doing this! You can't keep trying to control who Caitlin is with!"
"I don't have to put up with this, Ellen!"
"She and Tony are in love, David! And they're about to become parents! Whether you like it or not, you are going to have to accept Tony! He's a good guy!"
"I want better for you, Katie! I want a man who is going to be there for you and take care of you and love you!"
"I have that, Dad, in Tony," sighed Kate.
David put his head down in defeat.
"We should go, David," said Ellen.
"No, Mom, it's fine. You guys can stay," said Kate.
"You and Tony need your space. We can grab a hotel room and head out in the morning," said Ellen as she hugged Kate. "It was so good seeing you, Caitlin. You take care of yourself and that little girl in there! I want you to try and make it up to Indiana as soon as possible."
"I will, Mom!"
David hugged Kate and kissed her on the cheek. "I love you, Katie Pie."
Kate just looked at her father.
"Love you too, grandbabies!" David sighed as he pat Kate's stomach before leaving.
Kate waited anxiously on the sofa for Tony to return. Kate jumped up when she heard the door open and saw McGee walk in, balancing a drunk Tony on his shoulder.
"Tony!" sighed Kate, relieved to see her boyfriend.
"Where should I put him?" asked McGee, struggling to balance Tony.
"Lay him down in the bedroom," said Kate as she followed McGee back into the bedroom, where he flopped Tony onto the bed.
"He and your dad had some words and he took it pretty hard. He was doing shots of whiskey when I got to the bar. He just needs to sleep it off!"
"Thanks, McGee," said Kate with a shaky voice as she hugged the agent.
"You okay, Kate?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. Just dealing with a lot."
"If you want I can stay for a while?"
"No, it's okay. You should get going."
"Okay, but if you need anything my cellphone is on." McGee turned to leave stopping as he reached the doorway. "You don't plan on leaving Tony do you, Kate?"
"No, McGee." Replied Kate as she wiped a lone tear from her face.
"Good. I like you two being together!"
McGee left leaving Kate alone with Tony who laid passed out in bed. For a good part of the night, Kate sat next to Tony in bed, watching him sleep. For the first time, Kate could honestly say that she in fact was in love with Tony.
The next morning, Tony was in bed with an "out of this world" headache.
"I feel like my head is about to explode," groaned Tony as Kate walked into the room handing him some aspirin and water. "Why did I drink whiskey? I never drink whiskey! And this is exactly why!"
"You can thank my Dad for the hangover," replied Kate as she stood next to the bed.
"Your father hates me!"
"Yeah, he does but I really don't care. I talked to my Dad and I let him know that he can't keep trying to dictate who I'm with and whether he likes it or not I love you."
Tony froze and sat up at Kate's words. "You said you loved me!"
"I did and I do!"
"Are you saying it because you mean it or just because it sounds good?"
Kate placeed her hands on Tony's shoulders and looked him deep in the eyes. "I love you, Tony."
Tony smiled as he wrapped his arms around Kate's waist, pulling her close to him. He kissed her belly. "I love you too, Kate. You don't know how good hearing you say that makes me feel!"
Kate wrapped her arms around Tony's neck as he rested his head on her belly. The couple rested silently in each other's embrace until the sudden blare of Warner Brother's cartoons from the living room television interrupted the moment.
"That doesn't make me feel good! Arissa!" yelled Tony, suddenly reminded of his hangover.
Kate laughed.
She did it! Kate said "I love you" to Tony! What do you think? Will Tony be able to prove to Kate's father that he is right for Kate or is it a lost cause? Reviews/comments are welcomed and as always an update is coming soon :-)