It had been just over a month since Mel had been shot. Life at NCIS was back to what passed for normal. Gibbs had kept him in the office for a few cases after he got back from NY. Tony knew that was a not so subtle punishment for going to NY. It didn't matter; he would leave again in a heart beat if he had to for Mel or any of his "family".
He spoke to Mel often in those weeks she was considering not returning to the PD. She had put out feelers with head hunters for jobs in the fields that she held degrees in. Mel had collected a number of higher level degrees, including one PhD finding going to school as natural as breathing. Siobhan had taken Tony and Ezra at their word and had reassigned Dave to her personal detail.
Tony called the rest of the family on a more or less regular basis. The girls were safe in Morocco. Moha had taken them there about a week ago.
He got to see Ezra much sooner than he ever thought he would. Team 7 had been assigned a case that brought them to the East coast. An ATF agent was suspected of dealing in the very arms they were supposed to be keeping off the streets. They used a west coast team to minimize the possibility that the agent under investigation would recognize a fellow ATF agent.
At the same time Tony's team was called to the scene of the body of a Marine Sgt who was killed by an artillery shell shot from close range. The investigation led them to a pawn shop purportedly run by the daughter of the owner. Tony had gone under cover as an arms dealer as he and Gibbs were about to arrest her, she revealed that she was working for the ATF.
There was something about the scenario that didn't ring true; starting with the fact that she had no back up. Gibbs was sure she was involved in the murder and in selling the arms. When the agent's supervisors were contacted it was reveled that she was under investigation and a joint investigation was formed.
While Gibbs was getting his new ID set up with Abby and Malina in the lab, Tony was meeting with the team from the ATF. Tony was pleasantly surprised when he found Ezra and Vin among the agents in the group they would be working with. The team was diverse to say the least. Much more relaxed than any group of FBI agents he had ever worked with.
Then again after the way the "Fibbes" treated Ezra he barely tolerated working with them. If Gibbs didn't seem to have that odd relationship with Fornell, he would likely have no contact with them.
It seemed the ATF had a much more relaxed dress code than the FBI too. Ezra was the only one wearing a suit and it was much nicer than any one an FBI agent would wear. The rest of the group wore either jeans or khakis. Tony loved seeing Vin again they had struck up a tentative friendship in the short time they were together in NY. Tony was introduced to all of the team. The only person on the team he had qualms about was Nathan Jackson. He was friendly enough to Tony but there seemed to be tension between him and Ezra. Tony took some good natured ribbing from Ezra about his wardrobe. Ezra knew that he was dressed for a role but he couldn't resist teasing his cousin.
The room became deadly silent when an innocent comment was made by Buck Wilmington. "Interesting to meet more of your family than just Maude, Ez."
Ezra muttered "Ah Gawd" under his breath just loudly enough for Vin to hear since he was right next to Ezra.
Tony went still; he narrowed his eyes and looked at his cousin. "You didn't tell me the wicked witch of the south contacted you." His voice was too quiet. With the same edge of anger that he used when he and Ezra spoke to Siobhan a month ago.
Nathan bristled at Tony's tone of voice. How dare he call a lady names. Seems like these cousins are a lot alike after all.
"Anthony she is not that bad." Ezra knew that was not the truth but none of team 7 knew exactly how bad his childhood was. They thought he was a spoiled rich kid who never had to worry about a thing in his life. Maude more or less always had money but the things she did in the procurement of that money did not always take the best interest of a child to heart. Tony knew the whole story and he had no love lost for Maude. He knew for a fact that if Moha or Mary knew she had been in contact with him her life would be made most unpleasant.
When Tony became emotional he always reverted to Italian. He was lucky that for the most part the people in his life who he was most emotional with knew that language. It was the one positive legacy from his birth family. He was very emotional right now and started "discussing" things with Ezra in Italian. Ezra would rather they speak any language than English. He was sure the team would be curious but if most of the discussion was in another language then he wouldn't have to explain to everyone.
"Li ha lasciati dietro in un paese straniero Ezra, quando swindled l'uomo che stava corteggiando da soldi molto. Eravate fortunati che hanno saputo che non eravate implicati. Allora quando vi hanno dato il santuario che ha ritornato e li hanno eliminati, lasciandoli con un molester del bambino. Non provi e dirmi non ha conosciuto avete provato a dirle che e non abbia ascoltato. Quasi siete morto, che sareste morto tranne i mel e la sua famiglia." (She left you behind in a foreign country Ezra, when she swindled the man she was wooing out of a lot of money. You were lucky that they knew you were not involved. Then when they gave you sanctuary she came back and took you away, leaving you with a child molester. Don't try and tell me she didn't know you tried to tell her and she wouldn't listen. You nearly died; you would have died except for Mel and her family.)
"State esagerando. Non eravate là allora esso siete accaduto prima che veniste a contatto di Joe"
(You are exaggerating. You weren't there then, it happened before you met Joe. )
The team looked back and forth between the cousins. Vin almost wanted to stop them but it appeared that they weren't truly angry at one another. Tony seemed very concerned about what Maude may do to Ezra.
Tony looked at him incredulously, nearly shouting " You think they didn't warn me about her?!" They had switched back to English flawlessly.
Ezra decided to change tactics trying to hurt Tony he mentioned the elder Mr. DiNozzo. "She is no worse than your own father, Mr. DiNozzo."
Unknown to Tony, Gibbs walked into the room at that time he had left Malina in the lab with Abby looking over the weapons they were going to use in the operation.
Tony winced as Ezra called him by his last name. "I don't talk to my father Ezra you know that. I have a current restraining order against him. I will never let him near me or those I care about again. Can you say the same with that bitch? How often does she come and see you?"
Team 7 looked back and forth between the men. It was apparent this was a touchy subject with the two men.
Tony sighed defeated "I can't prove it but I would bet anything she was behind what happened in Atlanta cuz. I will not standby and watch her destroy you again."
Gibbs was surprised at the venom he had heard in Tony's voice. His undercover man was usually easygoing and almost never lost his temper. The air of sadness that he sensed now was heartbreaking. He decided to end whatever was going on.
"DiNozzo"
"Yeah Boss" Tony looked over at Gibbs startled he didn't hear or see the other man enter the room, but Gibbs tended to do that to the team a lot.
"You planning on introducing me?"
"Sure boss."
Introductions were made. "This is SAC Chris Larabee. Next we have demolitions expert Buck Wilmington, This is JD Dunne computer and surveillance expert. He is gonna wire everything for sound and video and I am going to be in his truck watching the monitors with him. Then we have profiler Josiah Sanchez, and Nathan Jackson resident EMT, next to him is Vin Tanner sharpshooter last but not least" he paused not sure he wanted to reveal the family connection but then thought better of it. All of Ezra's team knew and if he kept it from Gibbs and he found out from someone else there would be hell to pay, " my cousin undercover expert Ezra Standish." Gibbs eyebrows rose at the name. He remembered the name as the man who answered Tony's phone when he was in NY.
Gibbs greeted them all in turn quickly briefing them before he was missed by their subject. The OP was scheduled to go down soon.
Gibbs took a GPS device for show. Even though Tony knew it was a set up he called Gibbs and rechecked the details many times until Gibbs finally wouldn't talk to him anymore and put Malina on the line.
Tony stayed with JD in the surveillance van as he watched Gibbs get shot even thought he knew it was only a blank his heart was in his throat. He hated not being there watching his boss' six. At least that's what he told himself; that was why he felt the way he did.
Then it was over. The ATF team was using computers in the NCIS building to write their reports.
Tony had plans to meet Ezra at the suite that the family kept in the city. Moha usually used it but any of them were welcome to it. He hoped Ezra still showed up after their argument. He should have never confronted the man about his mother in front of his team. He remembered what happened nearly 5 years ago at the end of Ezra's time with the Atlanta FBI. How his wife was killed, Ezra almost died and Emily was saved from her mother's dying body. The need to be with his family at that time is what cost him his job in Philly. They wouldn't give him leave to be with Ezra and the rest of the family so he quit. He had always suspected that somehow Maude had been behind it all. He had been investigating it on his own from the day it happened but so far had no proof.
All of this was whirling through his mind including the painful memories of his own father that had been dredged up during the when Kate made her nastiest comment yet about Voss. Worse yet Ezra had heard her. His team was working in the adjacent bullpen ironically in the area that Pacci's team used. Tony just needed to get out after the events of the day. He didn't wait for Ezra to see if he was ready. He nearly knocked Gibbs over on his way out of the building.
Ezra had heard the exchange between Tony and his female coworker, they had not been introduced but from the comments she made and the things Tony had told him when they talked he knew who she was. He grabbed his suit coat and followed his cousin out of the building. Vin, who was keeping a close watch on both of the cousins followed closely on Ezra's heels.
Chris Larabee, also seeing the exchange between the agents and the ensuing discussion between Gibbs and Todd, came over to talk to Gibbs when Todd left for the evening
"Is he any good?" Larabee said coming up to Gibbs desk.
It took him a minute to realize that the man was talking about Tony. "Good at what?"
"At undercover work?... If he is anywhere close to his cousin I may try and entice him to the ATF. We are really short on good undercover operatives."
Gibbs changed the subject "Are they really cousins?" Getting Tony to talk about his family was next to impossible. Tidbits occasionally but no real information. He suspected Abby knew more but wasn't telling anyone.
"Near as we can figure. Vin knows more but he aint telling. Him and Ez keep each others secrets."
Chapter End Notes:
slightly redone "split decision"