Tony opened his eyes as the smell of coffee permeated his senses, bringing him back to a level of awareness that he wasn’t sure he was ready to experience. The familiar smell of the brew told him that Gibbs was nearby and had been patiently sitting by his side while he slept. A sense of déjà-vu swept over the senior field agent as he remembered another time several years ago that the team leader had stayed by his side, except this time, there weren’t any blue lights. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that Jethro Gibbs had his six.
Grateful that the blinding agony of the migraine had nearly subsided, Tony figured that he could handle the occasional twinges of pain and the feeling of disorientation that accompanied the aftereffects of the medicine that he had taken. Although his is stomach still churned at the thought of food, he knew that the nauseous feeling would eventually pass as well once he was on his feet.
He slowly sat up, bracing his still aching head with his hands. Moaning softly, he began to massage his temples in an effort to rid himself of the residual effects of the migraine. “I hope that you got another cup of that coffee,” he stated, realizing that Gibbs was more than likely one step ahead of him.
A weak grin escaped his lips when he felt a cup of the hot steaming liquid pressed into his hands. “Thanks, Boss,” he mumbled as he brought the cup to his lips.
“Figured you were about ready to wake up and that you’d need a little pick me up.”
Tony made a face when he swallowed the first sip. “You didn’t put any sugar in it.”
“Sugar wouldn’t sit well with your stomach,” Gibbs pointed out. “Brought you some toast, too. You need to get something in you.”
Taking the dry toast, Tony began to munch on it, his stomach only protesting slightly at the intrusion. “Is my dad doing okay?”
“He’s fine. One of the nurses stepped in and said that his cath was scheduled for first thing this morning. They’ll be taking him down around 7:30 or 8.”
“First thing this morning? What time is it now? How long have I been out of it?”
“It’s about 5:30 in the morning and you’ve been out almost 16 hours. Between the medicine and the fact you hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in a week, you were pretty tired.”
Tony couldn’t argue with that statement; tired didn’t even begin to describe how he was feeling at the moment. “I need to go and see him.”
“He’s fine, Tony,” Gibbs assured him. “He’s had plenty of people checking in on him.”
“Yeah, I remember Abby telling me that she had been to see him.”
“She did and she stayed with you for a while, but I finally sent her home to sleep.”
“And you’ve been here the whole time?”
“Pretty much.”
“Thanks.”
“You’d have done the same for me, DiNozzo.”
Tony took another sip of his coffee, silently wishing that he had some sugar or flavored creamer to add to the bitter drink; however, beggars couldn’t be choosers. “So, did you talk to my dad?”
“He asked to see me,” the team leader admitted.
“I asked you to stay away from him,” Tony reminded the older man. “You two are like oil and water and…”
“He asked to see me,” Gibbs repeated.
Tony sighed and raked his hand through his hair. It completely unnerved him every time Gibbs and his father spoke; strained civility was the nicest way to characterize their conversations. “What did he want?”
“We were just talking about father and sons.”
“Please don’t beat around the bush, Gibbs. Just tell me. I know my father better than you think and when he asks to see you, he’s got something on his agenda. So tell me, what did he want?"
“He wants me to back off so he can have a chance to be a father to you.”
“He feels threatened by you,” Tony surmised.
Gibbs shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“I do. He knows that I look to you as a…” Tony knew that their bond was an unspoken one and he was hesitant to ruin it by acknowledging it out loud. “Well, you know what I mean,” he quickly added, hoping that Gibbs understood what he was trying to say.
“I know what you mean, Tony.”
“My dad’s a hard man to understand sometimes.”
“Yes, he is.”
Tony nervously licked his lips. “Gibbs, I…”
“Tony, I’m not going to come between you and your father unless I see that his actions are hurting you. You deserve better than having to pick up the pieces of your life after he’s through with you. I just want you to be careful.”
“Gibbs, I’m used to it. I’m used to being low on the totem pole of his priorities and I’ve survived. This may not be any different, but I’m going to be there for him while he’s sick and I’ll do what I can to get him back on his feet so he can lead that charmed life he’s so used to. Maybe we’ll grow closer, but I’m not foolish enough to believe that he’s ever going to truly change. He’s my father; he is what he is.”
“And you can settle for that?”
“I have all these years.”
Setting his coffee cup on the table in front of him, Tony pushed himself up off the couch and headed towards the door. “I’m going to check on my dad.”
“Tony?”
He glanced back over his shoulder? “Yeah?”
“If you need me…”
Nodding his thanks, Tony grinned at the former Marine. “I know where to find you. Go home and get some rest, Gibbs. I’ll call you when I know something.”
“I’ll stick around.”
“Please Gibbs; just go on home. You’re just as tired as I am. I promise I’ll call.”
“If I don’t hear something from you by lunchtime, I’m coming back,” Gibbs reluctantly agreed.
“I’ll call you.”
With a final wave, the senior agent made his way down the hall, hoping that his somewhat disheveled appearance didn’t frighten anyone. He would go home and shower and change into fresh clothing after his dad was in recovery; it was going to be a long day and he really didn’t want to spend it in the same clothes he had slept in.
Since it was still early, he wasn’t sure if his dad would even be awake, but he still wanted to check on him. He peered in the room to discover that his dad was sitting up in bed, reading a newspaper. Tony lightly pecked on the door and entered the room. “Hey, Dad,” he greeted.
His father’s face seemed to light up at his arrival. “Junior! You’re awake! I wasn’t sure if I was going to get the chance to talk to you before they took me down. Are you all right?”
Uncertain as how to accept his dad’s obvious concern, Tony simply nodded as he took the seat by Senior’s bedside. “I’m fine. I guess everything just caught up to me; I didn’t mean to sleep so long.”
“Nonsense, my boy. You need to take care of yourself. I uh…wasn’t aware that you still got migraines.”
“Every once in a while; they tend to hit me when I’m under a lot of stress.”
“And I certainly have been the cause of a great deal of stress for you, haven’t I?”
Tony shook his head. “No Dad; it’s been a rough week at work and like I said, it finally caught up with me.”
“Like I said, my heart attack didn’t help matters,” Senior
reiterated. “I’m sorry, Junior.”
He stared at his father in disbelief. Anthony DiNozzo, Senior very seldom granted anyone a sincere apology; to say that one was sorry was often seen as a sign of weakness. Tony swallowed hard in an effort to keep his emotions hidden. “It’s all right, Dad. You just concentrate on getting better.”
“You know that my procedure is scheduled for this morning?”
“Yeah. Gibbs told me.”
“Gibbs is still here?” his dad inquired.
“He was. I sent him home; he needed to catch up on his sleep too.”
“Did he tell you that he and I talked?”
“He told me that you asked to see him.”
“I did. I wanted to ask a favor of him.”
“He told me. He told me you wanted him to back off so you could get a chance to be a father.”
Senior’s face flushed with embarrassment. “Gibbs talks too much.”
Tony couldn’t help but laugh at his father’s remark. “Actually, Gibbs isn’t known for being chatty; he talks when he has something to say.”
“Unlike us. We DiNozzo’s tend to prattle on sometimes, never saying what we truly mean.”
He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Tony wasn’t sure that he was ready for a heart to heart talk with his father. The man had reentered his life abruptly and had been keeping him in a state of emotional upheaval for months to the point that he had been regularly seeing a therapist. That decision had been a difficult one given his past history with psychiatrists, but he had eventually found one that he could talk to and their sessions had helped him regain his balance. He had a feeling that he was going to have to resume his sessions once everything was said and done.
“That’s part of our charm, I guess,” Tony quietly answered.
“You could be right,” Senior agreed. “Maybe it’s time we quit beating around the bush and be honest with each other.”
Tony was beginning to wonder if he was still asleep and dreaming; he and his father had spent their lives dancing around any emotional issues and now all of a sudden, his dad was suggesting that they talk about their feelings. “Who are you and what have you done with my dad?” he quipped.
He regretted the words as soon as they came out of his mouth. The hurt expression that his father now wore cut at his heart. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded, Dad. It’s just that you’ve never wanted to…”
“It’s all right, son,” soothed the elder DiNozzo. “I know that it seems a little strange, but I’ve had a lot of time to think and I believe that having this heart attack has been a wake up call of sorts.”
“A wake up call?” Tony questioned.
“Yes. Like I said, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about our relationship and I realize that there were so many times that I could have done a better job of being a father to you, especially after your mother died. I know that I can’t go back in time and change everything that happened between us, I would like to think that we could take what time we have left to get to know each other again. When I was here the last time, Gibbs suggested that I get to know you as an adult and I almost lost that chance.”
“Dad, I…I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything right now; just think about what I’ve said. I hope that you’ll give me another chance.”
Tony was unsure of what he should say next. He wasn’t use to seeing the emotional side of his father; for the first time that he could remember, his dad appeared to be on the verge of crying. DiNozzo men never cried. Tony easily remembered being told that he would not cry at his own mother’s funeral and he could count on one hand how many times he had cried in his life.
Clearing his throat, Tony finally managed to ask, “Do you need anything?”
“There is something that you can do for me.”
“What is it?”
“I want you to go home and take a shower, change your clothes, and get something to eat.”
“I was planning to do just that when you’re in recovery.”
“No, Junior. Go now,” Senior insisted. “They’ll be coming in a little while to take me down and…”
“Dad, I’m not going anywhere until after your cath is done; they may need to talk to me or something…”
“How about a little positive thinking, Junior?” Senior grinned.
“Sorry, Dad. I just don’t want you go through this alone.”
He was shocked when his dad gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m not going through this alone,” Senior informed him. “I’ve got you. However, I know that you were sick earlier and I want you to take care of yourself. If I do have to end up having surgery, then I’m really going to need you. I want you to go home for a while and rest; the doctor knows how to get a hold of you if they need you.”
“Dad, I…”
“Please, Anthony. Do this for me.”
Tony shook his head. “I can’t leave you alone.”
“I don’t know what I did to deserve such loyalty, but I’m grateful. Now, please go home and rest for a while.”
Glancing at the clock on the wall, Tony figured that he could go home and freshen up before his dad went into surgery. “I’ll run home for a little bit, but I’ll be back. I promise.”
Senior sighed. “All right, son. I guess I’ll have to be satisfied with that.”
He smiled at his father as he rose up from his seat. “I guess so. If you need me for anything, call me.”
“I will.”
Tony made his way towards the door, pausing long enough to glance back over his shoulder and giving his father one final nod. He told the nurse that he was going home for a little bit but should be back before his father was taken down for his heart catharization. Making sure that the nurse had his phone number, he took the steps down to the parking lot.
Getting in his car, he drove home, his body and mind on automatic pilot. When he pulled up in front of his apartment, he sat in his vehicle as he tried to muster the energy that it would require to get to his apartment. Tony’s exhaustion had crept into every part of his body and he was seriously considering just leaning his seat back and going to sleep in his car. At least there wasn’t anyone around that he had to keep up appearances for and for that, he was glad.
Tony could simply be himself for a couple of hours but the only problem with that was he was no longer sure of who he was anymore. It seemed like his father’s reemergence into his life had started yet another identity crisis; he was definitely going to have to see his therapist.
He turned off the engine and got out of the car and entered his apartment building. Tony got in the elevator, grateful that for once it was actually working. Within a minute, he was getting off on his floor and sorting through his keys to find the one that would unlock his door.
“Agent DiNozzo?”
Tony jumped at the sound of his name. He silently chastised himself for being so worn out that he failed to be aware of his surroundings; his carelessness had permitted two men in dark suits to sneak up behind him. Turning around he faced the two men, both of whom seemed to be right out of an old gangster movie. “Who wants to know?”
The older of the two men spoke. “Forgive the intrusion, Agent DiNozzo, but I was looking for your father.”
Tony studied the two men standing before him. The one who had just spoken stood a couple of inches taller than him; his salt and pepper hair framed a face that bore a distinguishable scar on his right cheek. The Armani suit that he sported spoke volumes of the man’s expensive taste. The second man was clearly the hired muscle and obviously took his job very seriously. Turning his attention back to the well dressed man, Tony said, “I’m sorry; I didn’t catch the name.”
“That’s because I didn’t offer it.”
“Maybe you should.”
The stranger extended his hand. “My name is Sam Brewer and this is my associate, Joseph Corolli.”
Tony’s eyes widened as he recognized the older man’s name. “Sam Brewer? Atlantic City get too boring for you?”
“So, you’ve heard of me,” Brewer stated.
“Yeah, I used to see your name from time to time during my days at Baltimore P.D. Sometimes your name would come up in some of our investigations, but nothing that could ever link you to any criminal activity.”
“There’s no crime in making money.”
“No, there’s not. It’s what you end up doing with it that can sometimes be considered criminal.”
“Touché,” Sam agreed.
“Anyway, you said you were looking for my father?” Tony pressed.
“Yes. I needed to discuss a business proposition with him. It seems that he’s a little late on his payment.”
Tony shrugged as he turned his back to the men to unlock his door. He knew he was unarmed and that he needed to get a weapon; the agent just prayed that his gun was where he had left it early yesterday morning. “If I see him, I’ll tell him you’re looking for him. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I’ve got things to do.”
A strong arm whirled him around until he was once again face to face with his unwanted visitors. He broke free from Corolli’s grasp; his hardened gaze shooting daggers through the two men. “I told you that I would tell him you’re looking for him the next time I see him. Did I use too many two syllable words?”
“You certainly don’t have the suaveness of your father,” Brewer declared.
“My suaveness as you put it, is tired and needs to sleep.”
“I know your father is in town, Agent DiNozzo.”
“Then why are you harassing me? You probably already know where he is.”
“I lost his trail after he arrived in Washington.”
Tony turned back around and opened his door. The urgency to make sure that his dad was safe was overwhelming. “He left this morning. I just got back from taking him to the airport,” he lied.
He was shoved through his door and suddenly found himself on the floor. “I think you’re not telling me the truth, Agent DiNozzo. Your father owes me some money and I intend to collect it"one way or another. Be sure he gets the message.”
Corolli jerked him up off the floor and punched him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. Bracing his stomach with his arm, Tony struggled to catch his breath but ended up on the floor once again. Two swift kicks in his side forced him to cry out in pain when he felt a rib snap.
“Do you think you can remember the message?” Brewer taunted.
The agony that Tony was experiencing prevented him from answering. What kind of mess had his father gotten himself into? Was this the reason why his dad suddenly felt the need to be closer to his son? Did his father only want his protection from the enemies that he had made over the years? He should have known that the dream of actually having a true father and son relationship was too good to be true.
“If I were you, Agent DiNozzo, I’d have a serious talk with my father. I’ll be in touch,” Brewer vowed.
Tony heard the door close, signaling that he was alone once again. He slowly sat up and got to his hands and knees and carefully stood to his feet. The pain of the broken rib a constant reminder of what had just happened; he had a feeling that his life was about to turn into a living nightmare. He pulled out his cell phone and called the hospital; he had to talk to his dad and find out what was going on.
He cursed when the nurse told him that they had an earlier opening in the cath lab and had already taken his father down for his test. Tony knew he had to get back to the hospital before his dad got back to his room so he could find out why his father owed money to the likes of Sam Brewer.
Making his way to the bathroom, Tony turned on the water as he carefully slipped out of his clothes. Looking in the mirror, he examined the bruise that was quickly forming on his side. “You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, Dad,” he whispered.
Tony stepped in the shower and began to replay the events of the past few minutes in his head. Tony knew he should call Gibbs, but why should he expect him to help clean up his father’s mess? His father had never liked anyone knowing their family business, but Tony had a feeling that they were both in over their heads. How could he pay his father’s hospital bills and whatever money he owed Sam Brewer?
Tony stayed in the shower, letting the near scalding water stream over his aching body. When the water grew cold, he cut off the water and grabbed a towel to dry himself off. Staring at his complexion in the mirror, he saw a stranger staring back at him. When had his life become so complicated?
Wrapping the towel around his waist, he walked into his bedroom and picked up his phone. He sat down on the edge of his bed and stared at the phone; Tony knew what he had to do. He had to call Gibbs and let him know what was going on, but if something happened to the team leader because Tony involved him in the mess that his father had created, he would never forgive himself. His finger hovered over the speed dial as he made his final decision as to what he was going to do.
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.