PT 10

2 DAYS LATER NORFOLK MEMORIAL PRIVATE ROOM

Tony had been moved to a room of his own that morning Gibbs had came by already. Yesterday was Sam's church play and yet he missed it. But she had told him that she quit that play. He would ask Gibbs.

Just then a hyper Abby came in along with a subdued Sam and Kate following her.

"Hey girls. What's going on." Tony asked. Abby bounced onto his bed and Tony winced in pain.

"Abby be careful." Kate admonished. Tony waved her off. Sam took the seat in the corner and watched with interest. Just then Gibbs Ducky and McGee walked in carrying coffee.

"Ok Abby we're all here. What's the big deal." Gibbs asked sitting down in the chair next to the bed. Ducky and McGee and Kate took the couch.

"Here in this box I have a tape." Abby said proudly.

"Abby is that security tape?" McGee asked.

Abby nodded a little. "Well yeah. But let's play it." Abby pushed play and squeezed in beside Sam in the chair.

Sam moved over and watched the tape. "Welcome everyone to DC High school." Everyone clapped.

Kate looked at Abby. "Abby when did you go to Highschool in DC." Abby nudged Sam and smirked at Kate. None of this went un noticed between the 4 men. "Sit back and relax and watch as we un fold the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet. Let me introduce the main stars of this production. Romeo Davis Blarington." Sam shook her head. She tried looking at the screen but tears were blurring her vision. "And our Juliet. Samantha Dinozzo." Kate Gibbs McGee and Ducky all looked over at Abby. "Well guys I told you I video taped it. Figured someone had to show Tony the performance that was marvelously done by his own flesh and blood."

Sam rolled her eyes. "I messed up about every other line."

Ducky shook his head. "No you didn't"

Gibbs cleared his throat. "Well let's watch it and see."

Tony sat up straighter. "Abby hand me the remote." Abby reluctantly handed the remote over to him. "Alright let's watch. I wanna see this production." Sam smiled weakly at the excitement in Tony's voice. Tony pushed play and everyone watched. At the end of the performance the director came back on. "Ladies and Gentlemen. We have a very special performance by Juliet. Please welcome again Samantha Dinozzo." Kate and Abby both started laughing. Sam had sang a rendition of troubled love. Which made Ducky cry at the school. But Sam hit every note very well. When the screen went blank Abby stood up and pushed Pause. Ducky was drying his eyes.

"Well Tony what did you think." Abby asked him still standing.

Tony looked over at a embarrassed Sam. "I think you are meaner than Gibbs." Everyone looked at him surprised. "I thought I had missed the most important play of my daughter's life. And you filmed it and let me feel that way." Tony said glaring at Abby.

"Well just for that I won't show you the next thing on the tape." Abby said feigning hurt. Any words were halted when Sam got up and walked over to the bed and looked down at him.

"Did you think I was mad that you missed the play?" Sam asked shocked evident in her voice. Tony moved over and patted the bed.

"Yeah." He said in an innocent voice.

"Daddy. Why would you ever think that. I knew where you were." Sam said to him.

Tony looked down ashamed. "Cause I knew you worked hard on that play."

Sam nodded. "And I also worked hard on that song. But it didn't matter much when I found out you were in here fighting for your life."

Tony smirked. "Gibbs is right you know."

Sam looked at Tony dead in the eye. "From the way you talk. He's always right. But what about?"

Tony pulled her to him. "I have the best daughter there is." He said with emotion in his voice.

Sam smiled against his chest. "Well I'm glad your my dad." Sam pulled away and noticed that everyone was watching them.

"Um Abby what else is on the tape." Tony asked. Him and Sam both were drying their eyes.

Abby smiled. "Just have to watch and see." Abby smirked and pushed play.

Sam was about to get up when Tony squeezed her hand. "Stay." It was one simple request. She nodded and laid back down. Tony could tell she hadn't slept since the rape. He also knew her blood sugar was doing somersaults on her. But he just wanted her near him right now. He needed his girl. "Ladies and Gentleman. First Baptist church of Washington is proud to present the Holy Lamb. Sit back and relax. Miss Simpson if you please." Tony looked down at Sam. "Why did you record this Abby?"

Abby smiled. "Just watch." With that Tony nodded.

No one had seen this and Sam smiled secretly. Yeah she had lied to her dad but it was for a good reason. Everyone watched as Sam's pastor walked across the stage and then a girl came up. Kate and Gibbs looked closely.

"Is that Sam?" Kate asked.

Sam reached over and took the remote from Abby. "How did you film this without me seeing you?" She asked from where she laid on Tony's bed next to him.

Abby smiled. "I walked in. Sat in the back and no one noticed."

Sam nodded. "Well I hope you don't mind me skipping this next part cause the actress Sucketh." Sam said in a sarcastic tone.

Tony snatched the remote from her. "I like to watch all plays from start to finish. No fast forwarding." With that he pushed play.

Sam was sitting on a stool and played her part. Sam hoped no one noticed the circles under her eyes. Everyone had asked her what was wrong. When Sam went off the screen.

Sam reached over and took the remote. "Unless you guys wanna see all my friends from Church I will fast forward to the end." Everyone nodded.

At the end Sam and the rest of the cast came on and sang a song and then walked out into the audience. What Sam hadn't told any of them was the voice they were hearing off stage singing was her own voice. Pre recorded on a tape.

When the tape went blank Kate was the first to speak. "Who ever sang,. Was excellent at singing." She said wiping tears from her eyes. Sam smiled to her self.

"That actually was a tape." Sam stated pushing rewind on the remote."

Kate nodded. "Was it someone from the church?" Kate wanted to know. Gibbs could see Sam smile.

"Yeah." Sam said. "It was actually me."

Kate looked at her surprised. "That was your voice."

Sam nodded. "The first rehearsal i sang em all and they taped it." Sam said smiling at her.

"Sam I gotta ask. How long did you guys rehearse that play?" Ducky asked from his seat on the couch.

"Oh about 2 months. For a month we just did rehearsals on Monday nights. Then we went to 2 nights a week." Everyone smiled.

It was Tony who spoke. "Well my opinion is biased. But both plays were superb." Sam smiled gratefully at him.

Gibbs cleared his throat and handed Sam a paper. "What's this the comic section?" Sam asked and everyone laughed.

"No. Read it." Gibbs said with a light smile.

Sam cleared her throat. "Last night DC High put on the famous yearly rendition of Romeo and Juliet. Now I have seen better Romeo's but Juliet was played with such grace and dignity. Almost as if the actress was going through a tragic loss herself. I give this play 5 stars." Sam smiled a little.

"Well I only have one thing to say to that." She said as straight face as she could.

She looked at Gibbs, "Who did you threaten at the newspaper to get them to write that?" She asked with a smile.

Everyone burst out laughing. Tony sat back and watched his daughter. Yeah the road ahead would be rough but he was glad she was laughing now. It made his heart brighten,.

TBC