Tony was a little nervous about his first day back to work. It was a bit strange to think about. The last time he worked at headquarters he was a senior field agent...a very special agent to be exact. He had the love of his life sitting right across from him, and though he would never admit it, he missed the head slaps from Gibbs. What he really missed was the team, his family and getting to go out into the field. But now he was a single father and things had changed. He couldn't be out risking his life like he once had before Kami was born. He always thought a bullet would kill him or Kate. Hell, the plague nearly did claim him. He never thought trying to bring a life into the world would also take a life out. But in his case, it took two. Tony rolled over and looked at a picture on his nightstand of himself, Kate and the day Kami was born. Beside it was his and Kate's wedding picture. He remembered the day he proposed to her. They had just found out she was pregnant. In their wedding picture, it would be looked over by many but to Tony he could still see the small bump Kate was carrying and the glow she had on her face. He never knew all of that would be ripped away from him. Everything was still so fresh. It was only because of Kami that he kept going. If not for that sweet little girl he didn't know where he would be. He pushed himself out of bed and started his morning routine. After his shower, shave and putting on one of his Armani suits, he went to wake his baby girl up.
"Kami, it's time to get up sweet girl." Tony said as he rubbed his little girl's cheek.
"Daddy?" Kami asked rubbing her eyes.
"Come on sweet girl! You get to go to work with daddy today. You know…Tori will be there!" Tony said trying to peak her interest a bit more.
"Yay! Let's go!" Kami said jumping out of bed and running to find clothes for the day.
Kami was excited to go to work with her daddy. But when Tony tried to drop her off at the NCIS daycare things didn't go as planned.
"Stay daddy!" Kami cried holding a death grip on Tony's leg.
"Kam…" Tony said as he bent down to his little girl's level "Daddy has to go to work. I will come and get you for lunch ok?"
Kami pouted before nodding her head.
"Where have I seen that look at before." Gibbs said slipping up behind Tony.
"Boss, you scared me!" Tony said jumping and grabbing his chest "You almost gave me a heart attack.
"Papa Gibbs!" Kami cried as she wrapped her little arms around Gibbs legs.
"Hey baby girl. Can I borrow your daddy for a few hours…I promise to bring him back?" Gibbs smiled as he picked up Kami.
She put a finger up to her mouth and thought for a moment before nodding and saying "Ok!"
"See you in a little bit." Tony said giving his little girl a kiss.
It broke his heart to walk away from her, but he had a job to do. Tony and Gibbs entered the elevator only to have Gibbs hit the emergency switch.
"Boss what are you doing?" Tony worried.
"Tony…how are you really doing?" Gibbs asked.
"I'm fine…really!" Tony looked down knowing Gibbs could see right through him.
"Tony, I know better. You don't have to pretend with me. I know we both need to get to work but why don't you and Kami come over for steaks this week and we can talk." Gibbs eyes shown with concern and love.
"Thanks boss I'd like that." Tony smiled.
"I'm not your boss anymore DiNozzo." Gibbs smirked as he flipped the elevator back on.
Tony left the elevator to meet with his new team. He couldn't believe in just a few weeks he would be the team leader. Jenny stood in the room talking with an older man.
"DiNozzo, it's so good to see you back under the NCIS roof." Jenny smiled warmly as she shook Tony's hand.
"It's good to be back director." Tony grinned.
"Well I know it's not like the field work you are used to but I think you will be very happy as team leader and an intelligence analyst. No crazy hours like you worked when you were with Gibbs." Jenny couldn't help but chuckle.
Tony smiled sadly. Though he was glad to be given the opportunity to lead his own team, a piece of him desperately wanted to still be a field agent on Gibbs team.
"Well I'll leave you to learn your new position. If you have any questions, you know where my office is." Jenny patted Tony on the arm.
"Gosh director you know I've been called into the principal's office enough to know where it is." Tony gave her a thousand-watt smile.
The day went very quickly and Tony didn't realize that he had missed lunch with Kami, until he got a phone call from the daycare center.
"Agent DiNozzo…I'm sorry, Tony, I'm Mary from the daycare center. Could you come and console Kami for a few minutes. She's screaming and crying for you. We can't get her to eat and she refuses to take a nap." Mary said.
"I'll be right down." Tony said as he headed to the director's office.
"Director is it ok if I take a lunch break early? Kami isn't handling the transition very well." Tony asked.
"Of course. Take care of your baby girl. Just don't be gone too long." Jenny smiled.
Jenny couldn't help but think what would have been if herself and Gibbs would have taken their relationship to the next level. How Gibbs would have been if they would have had kids. She liked to think that he would have softened and been much like Tony. Though she would never find out.
Tony made his way to the daycare and found his baby girl screaming and crying in a corner. He walked over to her. The minute she saw him her face lit up and she wrapped her tiny arms around his neck.
"Baby what's wrong?" Tony asked as he rubbed soothing circles on her back.
"I missed you…I miss mommy." Kami choked out before starting to cry again.
"I know baby girl…I miss her too. How about we go get some lunch?" Tony asked trying to hide the tears in his own eyes.
"Pizza?" Kami asked as a smile ghosted her lips.
"Pizza it is!" Tony smiled. There was no denying she was his daughter.
Kami enjoyed the same kind of pizza her daddy did…pepperoni, sausage with extra cheese. As he watched the joy on his daughters face as she thoroughly enjoyed her slice of pizza he knew he had made the right decision in coming back to D.C. he had to do what was right for himself and his little girl. Once they had finished lunch, Kami refused to go back to daycare. Instead Tony took her down to the lab.
"Hey Abbs, can Kam lay down on your futon? I think a lot of kids all at once is scarring her." Tony asked.
"Of course! You know where it is!" Abby smirked and gave a wink.
Tony laid Kami down on the futon and covered her with a soft black blanket that had cute skulls with hairbows on it.
"Ok sweetpea, daddy has to go back to work but I will be right upstairs. We will go home soon. I just need you to stay down here with Aunt Abby and try to take a nap." Tony rubbed soothing circles as he spoke.
"Oh! Here you can snuggle with Bert! Watch this!" Abby said as she squeezed the stuffed hippo making him fart. Kami loved it and her laughs filled the room.
"Bert always made your daddy feel better too." Abby smirked at Tony as she handed Bert to Kami. Of course, Kami had to squeeze Bert a few times.
"Get some rest sweet girl." Tony kissed his baby girl's forehead as she soon went to sleep.
"If she starts to stir or you have problems with her give me a call." Tony told Abby.
"I am sure she will be just fine." Abby smiled as Tony took one more look before going back to work.
Kami was so quiet, Abby almost forgot she was even in the lab except for the occasional fart from Bert when Kami would toss and turn. Abby couldn't help but smile. Kami was just like Tony, neither one of them could stay still for very long.
After work, Tony and Kami arrived home. Kami insisted they have Chinese for dinner, which Tony was pleased to order. Kami ran to her room and picked up her favorite movie and begged her daddy to watch it with her. Tony couldn't say no to the adorable green eyed little girl. She wanted to watch Lion King for the 100th time. To his delight, Kami started singing along to every song. Tony decided that he too would get into the movie and picked her up like Simba as The Circle of Life played in the background. He too started singing along with the movie which caused Kami to giggle. Tony couldn't help but think, so much had changed, but his and his daughters closeness was the one thing that stayed the same.