„TONY!"
He had called for a hour. Why didn't he open the fucking door?
„Tony..."
He sat on the few stairs and cried.
„He's gone."
Abby said. Gibbs looked up at her puzzled.
„What?"
„All he left was a letter and the keys to the house. He put up an official deed of gift and gave me the house.He will not come back, Gibbs."
Gibbs looked at the letter for ten minutes. Something stopped him from open it. He put it into a drawer and drove back to the office.
„Gibbs?"
He warily looked from up the screen to Abby.
„You should go home. You won't find him tonight."
Gibbs nodded. It was exactly the day Tony had left, one year later. Gibbs hadn't found the smallest sign of Tony but he never stopped looking.
„Yeah, maybe you're right, Abby."
When he was home he took out the unopened letter. Maybe now, a year later it wouldn't bee too hard to read.
He stared at the white envelope. It had turned slightly yellow from all the nights he had spent starind at it while smoking one cigaret after another. This night was no exception.
He didn't knew what the letter would tell him. He had no clue what it was that Tony thought he had to tell him before he left. And he wouldn't find out that night, either.
Gibbs sat behind his desk.
„McGee? Why isn't my computer working?"
McGee stood from his desk and went over.
„You let it run all night again?"
Gibbs only shot him a look. He never turn it off. The search for Anthony Domenic DiNozzo was running the whole time but by now Gibbs was only frustrated because nearly every day there was a false alert. He had wondered some times that there were that many Anthony Domenic DiNozzos in the US.
„GIBBS! GIBBS! You won‘t believe it!"
Abby came running into the bullpen.
„What Abby? What won't I believe?"
„I found Tony!"
„WHAT?"
First thing Gibbs did was pulling her into his arms.
„You're sure?"
„You think someone else would call his son Domenic Jethro Todd DiNozzo?"
Gibbs only looked at her with big eyes.
„Wha...Whe...How?"
„You remember the boyfriend of me who created the database about databases?"
„Ye...Yes?"
„I checked it and found a database for male births. I checked that for DiNozzo and there were the hell lot of them, about a thousand. Then, I don't know why...I entered Jethro DiNozzo and there was only one result! Domenic Jethro Todd DiNozzo and father Anthony Domenic DiNozzo."
Again he pulled her into a hug.
„YEAH! Where Abby? Where is he?"
„He gave birth in New York City Hospital. I haven't found out the current adress yet but it's a lead, at least."
„Hell yeah it is!"
Gibbs cried out and turned to McGee.
„That thing working?"
McGee nodded and Gibbs shoved him aside.
Surprisingly Gibbs knew the web adress of the New Yorker Operator by heart and after half a hour they had only three possible Anthony Domenic DiNozzos in New York City.
He stood in front of the apartment building of the last Anthony Domenic DiNozzo on his list. If this wasn't his Tony he would have to start at the beginning again. He took a deep breath and entered the building. He checked every name plate at the doors and when he came to floor 3 there stood a baby carriage in the hall. He looked at the name plate next to it. DiNozzo. Again he took a deep breath and knocked.
There was no answer. He knocked again a bit louder. Still no answer. He raised his hand a third time but before he could knock the door was opened in a hurry.
„Damn I have a ba...Gibbs."
Gibbs had dreamt of this moment often in the last months and he had so many great speeches at hand then but right now he couldn't say anything. He swallowed and Tony only looked at him.
„Ok, you finally found me. I can't say I'm surprised, only that you were quite fast though, I thought you would need at least a few years."
Gibbs still couldn't speak. His mind was giving him so many options and he just couldn't decide what should come out first.
„Ok, if you don't have to say anything I'll just..."
„I want you back."
Tony opened the half closed door again.
„What?"
„I want you to come back to Washington with me."
„That's not what you just had said."
Gibbs inhaled slowly.
„I want you to come back."
Tony seemed to consider his options for a moment. He could tell Gibbs to finally stay away from him or he could at least let the man in and hear what he had to say.
He opened the door wider and let Gibbs step inside. He silently led him into the kitchen and offered him a seat. Without asking he put a mug of fresh coffee in front of him.
„So? What do you wanna say?"
Gibbs bit his lips trying to find the right words.
„Tony, I've been a bastard, no bastard doesn't fit anymore. A jerk, a complete asshole."
„Douglas Adams."
„What?"
„You're a jerk, Dent. A complete asshole. Douglas Adams. Life, the universe and everything. Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy. The trilogy of the five. Forget it."
Tony waved it off. Gibbs let it go.
„What I'm trying to say is, I was hurt. You slept with me and it was something I wished for for a very long time and then you got back to your fiancé...That's not a reproach!"
He said before Tony could verbalize his protest.
„Then you were pregnant from that idiot and he bashed you. There's only one thing that's worse than bashing his partner."
„What's that?"
„Bashing and raping his pregnant partner. I was so stupid, Tony. All those things I said, that I only wanted sex from you, that I didn't care about you and your son...It was just my way to deal with the pain."
„So, what do you want me to do? Apologize?"
„No. You're not the one to do that. It's me in fact. Tony, I'm sorry. Very, very sorry and I want to do anything so you can forgive me one day."
„That's why you made the way to NY? To apologize? Could have called."
„No, I made the way to bring you back. I want you back in Washington. You and your son. I want you to be with me. I...If you want to, I want to build a family with you. I know I‘m not the father but I wished I could become it. Tony, I love you."
Tony remained silent. All this was a little too much for him. Gibbs still thought he wasn't the father but he wanted him and he wanted his son. He loved him.
„You haven't read the letter?"
„What? Oh, no...I couldn't. I wanted to but I thought it would hurt only more. Why?"
Tony didn't look at him. He stood up and left the room. A minute later he came back with a small boy on his arms. Gibbs stood up and looked puzzled at him.
„He's cute."
It was a complete understatement. The boy had silky brown hair and the face of his father. But his eyes where steely blue. Tony smiled shortly, then he looked directly into Gibbs‘ eyes.
„Jethro, I want to intodruce you to Domenic Jethro Todd DiNozzo. Your son."
Gibbs puzzled look changed into shock.
„My son?"
„I explained it all in the letter. I didn't want a half father for him. And I still don't want that. There's only one way to be part of his and my life, Jethro. All or nothing."
Gibbs stepped closer and silently asked for permission to take his son. Tony gave it to him and Gibbs took him carefully. He placed a soft kiss on the top of the boys head then stepped even closer to Tony.
„All."
He said and kissed the younger man softly.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Gibbs tries to find Tony but nothing is leading to him
Chapter End Notes:
Do I have to?