Chapter 13
Mike Macaluso paced up and down in his cell, seeing Tony again had brought all his memories and all his anger back again.
He had loved Tony's mother immensely she had been the love of his life but when Elizabeth DiNozzo had told him she was married he had thought he would die. Anthony DiNozzo however was a con artist, and in the hole to the Macaluso clan for $15,000, and more importantly a coward, who when told his debt could be cleared if he could spend one month with his wife, DiNozzo quickly capitulated.
Elizabeth and Mike had a wonderful time; she being a Paddington and full on English aristocracy couldn't divorce Anthony even though he drank and had a temper. Anthony's problem was that they had been married for 3 years and she hadn't given him a son, and heir to the DiNozzo family name. Anthony assumed it was her problem and quite happily sent her away with the head of the Macaluso family for $20,000 although he only made $5,000 on that particular deal, he had still made money.
Elizabeth had been wined and dined; Mike had taken the month off moving all business to his second while he toured the US together, and stopping in Hollywood where Mike showed her his love of the movie industry. Elizabeth was hooked.
The last night they were together, Mike had begged her to leave her husband and come and live with him, she had cried holding him tightly, but she was a DiNozzo and unless her husband divorced her that was where she had to stay, if she left her family would be ruined.
Less than two months later, DiNozzo senior was running around telling business associated his wife was pregnant.
Mike always knew the child could be his.
Just under eight years later his suspicions were confirmed.
Mike had opened a letter that morning on his desk from Elizabeth; the writing was hurried and scrawled across the page, small dried tear drops where on the page and Mike's heart clenched.
'My dearest Mike,
I am so sorry I never told you but Tony is your son, Anthony bade me not to tell you and I had to abide by his wishes. Tony is bright, kind and loving, he has your sense of humor and your eyes. Anthony hates him. But he hates me more and I cannot take anymore, if you can save our boy, please try to, I fear for his safety with Anthony, but Tony doesn't know Anthony isn't his father. Always remember Mike I love you, please try and save our son, it is too late for me.
Elizabeth '
Mike picked up the phone and called DiNozzo's number, the phone was answered by a weeping housekeeper, she confirmed what he already knew, Elizabeth…his Beth, was dead.
DiNozzo had put barriers up stopping Mike from seeing the boy, they had moved from Baltimore to Long Island and all traces of Anthony DiNozzo Junior disappeared from Mike's radar, until one day twenty years later, when a young Baltimore detective had offered his services to the Macaluso family. Mike had taken one look at him and knew; this was his son.
Tony had been welcomed into the family, Mike not disclosing he knew the young detective and arguing with any family members who questioned having a cop on the payroll they knew little about.
Within months Tony had moved up the ranks, then came the day. Mike had planned on making Tony a full member of the 'family' and was also going to let him know who his father was. But as the family gathered the FBI swooped in and arrested everyone.
Mike just looked at Tony, his son had betrayed him.
One day, he would get even.
The twins ran down the stairs and stood and the door waiting for their dad to join them, Nonno Gibbs was sat on the couch looking over at his two 'new' grandchildren chatting away excitedly to each other in a mixture of Italian and Hebrew.
"Kids." Gibbs barked and they both ran over to him.
"Si, Nonno?" Adam said.
"New rules for my house, I am grandpa, or Gibbs, none of this Nonno stuff, and one language only in my house, English ok." He said.
The twins looked at him and talked to each other in Hebrew.
"W…will we be punished if we get it wrong?" Adam asked grasping Amelia's hand tightly.
Gibbs looked at them concerned, they were progressing so well he hadn't wanted to frighten his new grandchildren.
"The only time I will punish you is if you break your father's rules in the same way he would. I will never inflict pain on either of you, you are both too precious and I love you both." Gibbs said and held his arms out which were soon full of happy smiling teenagers.
Tony stood at the top of the stairs listening, as the children flung themselves into Gibbs' arms, he pulled out his phone and took a picture.
"I want a copy of that Macaluso."
"Yes dad." Tony laughed.
Gibbs grinned, "I like that….off the job, but I do like that," he moved so that Tony could join in the family hug.
"Now let's head back to my place before Baker and Dorneget get eaten by Abby." Gibbs joked.
Adam and Amelia stopped their eyes going wide, "She eats people?" They asked in unison.
Tony laughed, "No…Grandpa is just being silly, come on guys…there's cake." He poked.
Both children grabbed Gibbs' hand and dragged him across the lawn to his house, "Cake Grandpa!" they said.
Opening the door and running into the house they stopped when they saw people there. "Happy Birthday!" Abby called wrapping both kids in a hug.
Both children tensed and looked at her quizzically, "You're not going to eat us are you?" Adam asked.
Abby looked surprised, "Eat you?"
"Grandpa said you were going to eat the baker and the doughnut guy." Amelia said.
"What?" Abby stood back and glared at Gibbs and Tony who walked up behind them. "What did you tell these two adorable children about me?" Abby growled.
Gibbs and Tony looked at each other confused, "Nothing Abbs?" they said in unison,
"Then why do your children think I ate the baker and the doughnut guy?" she asked.
Both men started to laugh, Gibbs ended up holding onto Tony's shoulder. "Oh my God! Really! They said that?" Gibbs spluttered.
Tony walked up to his children, and took them to the middle of the room he put them in front of Clara and Ned, "Adam and Amelia Macaluso, I would like to introduce you to Clara Baker and Ned Dorneget, both of whom are alive and well." He said with a huge smirk on his face.
"Hello," Both twins said, "I'm glad you're not dead." Amelia said and the room dissolved into laughter.
They walked over to Abby, "We are sorry, Miss Abby." Adam said and hugged her.
Abby smiled, "Now you two, we have very important things to get to, Presents and Cake." She said steering them over to a table with a huge cake that said Happy 1st Birthday.
"But Abby we are not one, we are 13?" Adam said.
"That's true, but this is your first birthday with us and that makes it special." Abby said.
Moving them over to presents, they both got the same things, mostly. They were given, laptops from Abby, Desktop computers from McGee, Ned gave them both desk sets, Clara got them vouchers for the local book store, Emily and Fornell, brought them both two sets of clothes and swimming lessons and their new Grandpa had made them both Desks out of oak, intricate with their names carved into the back panels.
"Wow, guys' I mean this is too much!" Tony said with a sad smile on his face.
"We wanted to do it," Tim said, hoping to not make Tony mad.
Tony gave a quick grin and walked out onto the back porch.
Gibbs waved Tim back and followed him out.
"You ok Tony?"
"You guys got them all this, I got them notebook and pen…how bad a parent am I?" He said sadly.
Gibbs pulled Tony into a hug, "They won't remember the gifts or the cake, what they will remember is that 13 was the year they spent together, Safe with their father. Now come back inside and join your family."
Tony smiled, "Yes dad." He replied and went to join them.
