A year after the kidnapping.
Tony opened the door to his house.
„Where've you been? Dinner's getting cold!"
Jethro said when he entered the kitchen.
„Sorry, Jeth, had to get something after work."
„Yeah?"
„Yup, this."
He held out a pretty big pack of papers.
„That's what you've been working on for the last two months?!"
„Yeah. Had to copy it."
Gibbs looked down and read the headline.
„Realization, by Anthony DiNozzo"
He looked up Tony again.
„Yeah. But I think if I publish it I'll get a alias."
„Why's that?"
„Read it and you'll know. It's a bit autobiographical. You know, it's about a guy falling in love with his boss and gets kidnapped..."
„Ahhh, I see..."
Gibbs opened the „book" and read a bit.
„You changed the names, that's good."
„Yeah, will you read it? I want you to be the first one!"
Gibbs nodded and they settled down for dinner.
„Chapter 16: Realization
It took a great deal for me to come to this point. To come to that point where I can talk about it. Some people might ask why you call this book „Realization"?
Well, the answer is pretty easy. It is all about realization. Our whole life is about it. It's about actions, words, feelings. Yes, but we have to realize the meanings of them.
This book is about my life. You say it's short for that? You think my life was boring and not worth to be written about before the book starts? Nope, that's not the case. I could tell you a lot more about me. About my parents, my childhood, school, college, my jobs, girlfriends, boyfriends,...but my life hadn't really started before the book starts.
I was an idiot. I was living a hollow life until that one day. That one day I looked into my boss‘ blue eyes and knew it, just knew it.
And the moral of the story? Well, don't shut yourself against realization. Don't deny! It never works.
Everything could have been different. Maybe I would have been with the man I love earlier. Maybe I wouldn't have been kidnapped. I don't know.
You ask why I end here? You think this is not a good ending?
Well, what about this:
My life started with a realization and I can tell you, I wouldn't change it.
And I realized something else.
My life can't be better than it is right now, right here!"
Gibbs shut the book with tears in his eyes and a slight smile on his lips.
„Like it?"
He looked up to the door of the bedroom.
„How long have you been standing there?"
„Three pages aback."
„It's perfect Tony. And you're right, it can't be better."
Tony smiled and kissed Gibbs‘ shortly.
„You can publish it just like it is!"
„Nope, I can't!"
Gibbs looked surprised.
„You already asked for pusblishing and they didn't took it?"
„No, that won't be a problem. I already talked to a friend who's publisher and he's sure they'll bring it out. But there's something missing."
He gave Gibbs a single piece of paper. There were only a seven lines on it.
„I couldn't decide, so I took both."
Tony explained.
„In memory of my partner.
Fallen in the field.
Beloved colleague and friend.
Lost but never forgotten.
I owe you my life.
To my husband and my daughter.
My life, heart and soul."
Gibbs smiled and looked at the carriage where the baby-girl they had adopted a month ago lay sleeping.
„It's perfect that way. Kate would love it."
Tony took up Lucy and felt Gibbs hands on his hips and his chin on his shoulder.
He knew Gibbs wasn't talking about the dedication.
The END
Author's Chapter Notes:
It is all about realization. Our whole life is about it. It’s about actions, words, feelings. Yes, but we have to realize the meanings of them.
Chapter End Notes:
Thanks to Eve.
No at the moment there isn't more...
This is my payback for everything Gibbs and Tony had gone through
No at the moment there isn't more...
This is my payback for everything Gibbs and Tony had gone through