Tony sat in his apartment, a football game on the plasma screen, but his thoughts were somewhere else. It was silent. Too silent. Nicole wasn't a loud child but in only two months Tony had grew used to the small domestic sounds of another person living in the flat.
But he hadn't heard anything from her all day and he had only seen her when she went to the bathroom. The TV was running only because he couldn't stand silence anymore. Gibbs had given him off and Tony was almost bouncing off the walls. Eventually he couldn't sit around anymore and he went into her room.
She lay in her bed obviously asleep. For a second Tony wanted to leave again but a letter caught his eyes. He knew he shouldn't read it but he was naturally nosy. So when he pulled the covers over his daughter he took a peek at the headline.
„I should do something."
Tony said as Gibbs passed a coffee to him.
„You should give her time."
Gibbs answered as they left the coffee shop and slowly walked back to the NCIS HQ.
„I'm worried about her. Yesterday she didn't want to go to her violin class. She plays all the time in every situation!"
„She wants to be alone."
Gibbs reasoned with him. Tony stopped.
„What aren't you telling me, Tony?"
„She doesn't talk. Nothing. Since I told her that Rachel's dead she didn't say a word...but she wrote a letter...and I don't know if I should read it."
„A letter? For who?"
Tony took a deep breath and looked around as to check that nobody was listening.
„Santa Clause."
„Santa..."
Gibbs looked at him in shock for a moment before he started walking again.
„She thinks she saw him when she was eight...I thought it was over...she stopped talking about him about a year ago...what twelve year old still believes in Santa Clause?"
Tony looked at Gibbs when he didn't answer.
„I wouldn't know, Tony. My daughter never reached that age..."
„Yeah...you're right..."
Suddenly feeling very uncomfortable Tony tried to get the subject back to his daughter.
„You think I should talk about it with her?"
They stopped in front of the NCIS building.
„Maybe you should give her some time, Tony. I think that's the best. It's only been a bit more than two days."
„I guess you're right..."
Tony smiled at Gibbs shortly before they seperated, Gibbs going back to work, Tony back home.
The whole day Tony sat in the living room unsure if he should read the letter or not. Eventually he would go in her room but she was awake but still she didn't say a single word.
Author's Chapter Notes:
There's a new problem coming up with Nicole
Chapter End Notes:
same as before