Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter 2
When Gibbs came back 45 minutes later, he not only had given his statement to the hospital securities officers, but successfully finished their coffee pot. Outside the infirmary, he heard Tony’s animated voice discussing basketball and couldn’t stop himself from hearing the story.
“Anyway, there I was I the middle of the court, four seconds away from the end. I had to shoot!” Gibbs was picturing Tony’s green eyes shinning at the memory and shook his had a little, smiling at Tony’s happy memories. “Now, Pearson - Mercyhurst’s point guard - was standing right in front of me and there was no way I could get a clean shoot. So… I swear Dr. Atwood… I pulled up a Jimmy Dolan shake and bake! It was beautiful! Best day of my life” He finished.
“A what?”
“A Jimmy Dolan shake and bake, you know? Kevin Bacon in The Air Up There …?”
‘And here we go…’ Gibbs thought.
Tony changed his voice and started to imitate Kevin Bacon, “Well, it's a three step process. First, you think I'm going left. But I don't. So now you're thinking, am I going to go right or even confuse him by going left. So I go left again. Now you think I'm finally gonna go right but what I'm really gonna do is... And slam!” Tony’s hands are in the air, imitating the shoot. Faking seriousness Tony concluded “And that my friend, was the three points shoot that made us win the game! Of course, my landing wasn’t so perfect since I slipped and sprained me ankle.”
“You do understand that you could have just said ‘Yes, I do know what to do’, right?” Dr. Atwood asked amused.
“Now, where is the fun in that?”
Gibbs chose that moment to come in the room “So, what news do you have for me, doctor?”
Dr. Atwood pointed Tony’s x-rays on the mounted light table and explained Gibbs that his agent’s ankle was merely sprained, recommending that the young man stayed off it as much as possible for the next few days. Once he had finished, he turned back to Tony and said “Remember Tony, keep it elevated when you get home tonight and put some ice on it. Anyway, please keep it wrap it for the next few days. I’ll be happy to remove the stitches next week.”
At this point, Gibbs intervened, “Thank you doctor, but there is no need to bother. Tony’s personal physician can take care of that.”
“Oh. Very well... Give his name and address to the nurses on the reception desk outside and I’ll fax Tony’s exams to him. What’s his name, anyway?”
Gibbs was helping Tony walking when he heard the question. His guts were churning and he had to turn back to gauge the man’s intentions towards Tony. Staring at the man’s eyes he answered a calculated “Dr. Donald Mallard” and wait for a reaction.
“Good. I’ll have the exams send it to him this afternoon.” Robert Atwood smiled at the suspicious man and moved to pick another patient’s file from his desk.
Seeing that Gibbs was in no mood for pleasantries, Tony shouted over his shoulders a hasty thank you and goodbye for the doctor, leaving him alone on the now empty room.
Gibbs waited until they were back at the reception to resume any conversation with Tony. “McGee is already waiting for us at the front door.”
“Are we going to interrogate Jerry and his friends or should we find the money they stole first?”
“Abby already found it. They kept the money in fake accounts on the local community bank.”
“That’s not very smart, not at all.” Tony commented.
“And apparently, one ride in the elevator with Ziva was all what we need to convince Addario to confess.”
Tony imagined a geek like Petty Officer Addario facing an intimidating Ziva alone in a camera free zone and snickered. He didn’t blame the guy for giving it up. Returning to his conversation with Gibbs he offered “That leaves us to interrogate Summers and my old pal Jerry. Sweet!”
“No. That leaves me to interrogate them and you to go home to keep your ankle elevated and on ice. We will give you a ride home” He said in a tone that dared Tony to contradict him.
Tony, being Tony, took the bait and protested “Come on, Boss! I had a sprained ankle before is no big deal!” Tony said whining that was effectively stopped by Gibbs slapping the younger man on his head. “Got it Boss, but I’ll not be responsible if I die for starvation! God knows there is nothing eatable on my apartment.”
At that, Gibbs rolled his eyes in exasperation.
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Dr. Robert Atwood opened his house door to find his housekeeper feeding his wife. He stopped at the door, hurt by the scene. His wife suffered a severe shock with their son’s death and, after struggling for two months with an anxious disorder, she woke up one day in a catatonic state.
Since his son Michael had die from cancer only a couple months ago and having to work to support the rest of the family, Atwood wasn’t in any condition to provide the company and the care his wife Antonia needed. That was when Kathleen came into his life.
The young blond woman took care of his house, kept his wife company and cooked them three meals, everyday, until he had finished his work and returned home. He had no idea what he would do without her invaluable help.
“Dr. Atwood!” Kathleen’s voice broke into his thoughts.
“Hello Kathleen.” He greeted moving closer to his wife “How were things today Kathleen?”
Seeing the doctor kiss the top of Antonia head, Kathleen waited until he was looking back at her to answer the question “She was a good girl today, right Antonia? We took a stroll in the park, made some shopping and Antonia got a hair cut! Isn’t she pretty?”
Atwood gave a tired smile and complimented his wife “She is always pretty. Aren’t you honey?” He touched the silky brown hair cascading for Antonia’s head.
“Well, I need to go. Your dinner is on the oven. She has been bathed and fed, so you only need to put her in bed.” Kathleen informed him while putting her coat. “I’m really sorry I need to leave this early Dr. Atwood…”
“No need to concern yourself with that, Kathleen. We’ll be just fine, thank you!” Atwood said waving the young woman goodbye. A few seconds later, the front door closed and he was alone with his wife.
Bringing his wife to the kitchen, he sat on the table and, to break the overwhelming silence, told her about his day while having dinner. It was a habit instilled by Antonia in the small family when their son was alive, that now he cling on it to keep the loneliness away.
It didn’t take long until dinner was finished and the dishes were load on the dish washer, leaving the man to complete his work by finishing the patients’ reports. He wheeled Antonia’s chair to his office and placed along his side, setting the tv sound on low.
After powered up his notebook, he fished the patients’ file from his briefcase, Anthony DiNozzo’s file being the first one on the top of the pile. He picked it up with a fond smile on his face. The young man looked so much like Michael that it hurt him a little and they have so much in common!
Unable to control himself, he searched for the younger man on the internet, finding a few articles on his mother’s death and his father’s many marriages. Tony not showing on those pictures made him wondered if he didn’t get along with his father. ‘Such a shame’ He thought ‘the man has no idea how precious the love of a child is.’
There were brief mentions on his name over Rhode Island Military Academy website, but he only found what he was looking for at Ohio State University website. There, on the Official Athletics website, he found Tony’s basketball team picture. He could see that the young man hadn’t change it all, same irrepressible smile and happy attitude.
Focused on the image, he never saw his wife catching a glimpse of the picture herself, her face morphing into something akin to hope.
“Michael…” She said lifting her right arm to touch the picture. Heightening her voice, she repeated “Michael…?”
That shocked Atwood away from his trance. He couldn’t remember the last time his wife had said or moved. “Did you say something dear?”
“MICHAEL” She said touching the notebook’s screen, tears rolling down her face.
Atwood was terrified: his wife first signal of reaction in months and it was over a picture the reminded them of his lost son. He couldn’t stop his own tears when he moved to brace his wife “I’m sorry, honey. He… he is not Michael. Michael is gone, he…”
“MICHAEL! MICHAEL! MY SON! GIVE ME BACK MY SON!” She kept repeating, screaming for her son and fighting the gentle arms that were supporting her.
“I can’t, Tony. I’m really sorry, but I can’t. This is a different person… he came to the hospital this morning. His name is Anthony DiNozzo, see? Works for the NCIS. He is not Michael. Not him… I’m sorry.” Atwood said hugging his wife.
“NO. It IS him. Is my baby… my baby…”
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.