Tony stood leaning against the wall in the lounge area of the private jet terminal, his bags at his feet. He didn't mind too much because he wasn't looking forward to seeing his cousin. Ryan would already be on suspicious because of his mode of travel. Tony wasn't too concerned about that though. No he was much more concerned about the way Ryan would take the news he had to tell him. Tony still wasn't sure how he was going to broach the subject but he couldn't put it off any longer. He had had the info about Tim's death a little over a month now and if Ryan knew he was holding it for even that long without telling him then Tony would be in trouble. The only reason he didn't speak to his cousin immediately about it was he wanted to speak to Fornell about it first.
In order to do that, Tony had to calm down first, which took several days. Then he wasn't sure how to explain to his cousin what had happened. Even with the tape and the info Fornell had given him he still wasn't sure how it had happened. How exactly the killer had been able to pin point Tim.
How do you tell your cousin that you're the reason his lover died… Well he knew he would have to do it in person for one thing. This spring break idea was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Gibbs even fell for it. He hoped he had some time to go and get a tan while he was here or else the team, Kate especially, would think he spent his whole vacation drunk.
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Ryan and Eric drove the rest of the way to the airport in silence, arriving there in short order. Ryan exited the vehicle to search for Tony; Eric killed the engine and followed him.
Upon entering the terminal Ryan found Tony in the lounge he walked up to his cousin calling his name in greeting and gave him a hug.
"Tony, it's good to see you!" Ryan gripped his cousin tightly in the hug.
Tony returned the embrace; he could tell that Ryan needed the physical contact that this greeting offered. "You too Runt."
Eric raised his eyebrows at the nickname, and smirked to himself.
Tony clapped Ryan on the back once before ending the embrace. He grabbed his younger cousin by the arms and searched his face. Tony nodded to himself apparently satisfied with what he saw there. Then he winced as he noticed the clothing that Ryan was wearing.
"Did you get dressed in the dark or something Ry?"
As they were speaking Ryan had grabbed one of Tony's bags while Tony took the other. Tony continued, "I have GOT to take you shopping while I am here!"
Ryan shook his head at Tony and snarked at him "We can't all afford hundred dollar ties Tone, some of us have student loans you know, not everyone gets a full scholarship."
Eric listened to the banter going on back and forth. He had never seen Ryan so relaxed before. He had not even realized how tense Ryan was most of the time in the lab; it was his normal state of being. Seeing him relaxed and talking with this Tony person was a welcome change. He had resented H for sending him with Ryan on a personal errand now he wondered if H didn't have an ulterior motive.
Tony stopped walking and turned to Ryan "You've been talking to Abby again haven't you. Had to have been last night we just had that conversation about my tie a couple of days ago."
Ryan smiled at his cousin and said, "I talk to Abby almost EVERY night we are working on that journal article together remember. If we don't talk we IM or email."
"Did she talk you into researching crop circles with her?" Tony asked only half kidding.
Ryan groaned, "Please please please DO NOT MENTION crop circles to that woman again. If you happen to see one somewhere pretend you didn't and tell McGee the same."
Eric had amused himself listening in on their conversation at this point he couldn't contain himself any longer and had to interject, "Crop circles?"
Tony looked over and saw the tall, good looking Hispanic man. He quirked his eyebrow and looked at Ryan. " You planning on introducing us?"
Ryan blushed at his lack of manners. "Ooh! Excuse me. Sorry I was so caught up in seeing Tony I forgot you were there. Tony meet my coworker, Eric Delko. Eric my cousin, Anthony DiNozzo."
The two men shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.
"We better get moving, our boss let us take a county vehicle but I don't want to be out too long. So where are you staying we'll drop you on the way" Ryan said almost completely sure that Tony was planning on staying with him.
"Ah …Yeah…Well see about that…"
Ryan looked over at Tony he knew the moment that he found out about the private plane that Tony would be staying with him."Ok let me guess Mary sent you here. This was a forced vacation and you are staying with me…. Am I right so far?"
Tony sighed and looked at his cousin, "More or less… I have some stuff to talk to you about that Mary doesn't know about though and yes it has to be done in person, so I am staying with you."
"Please tell me it has nothing to do with my parents, or yours for that matter."
"That I can tell you it has absolutely nothing to do with our parents."
Ryan grinned at Tony if it didn't have to do with their mutual family it couldn't be as bad as Tony feared. "Good then it can't be too terrible then." Ryan walked away from his cousin and went to store the bags in the rear seats of the Hummer.
Eric happened to hear Tony mutter. "Don't be too sure about that cuz."
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