Chapter Text
Jackson Gibbs sat at his kitchen table waiting for his son to wake up, it was 05.00 and he knew Leroy would be up soon.
Sure enough, there was a noise from upstairs and Gibbs walked into the kitchen, picked up the coffee, and eggs his father placed on the side for him.
"I had a strange phone call from Bob Miller last night?" He told his son.
Gibbs looked up from his coffee but did not say anything, Jackson decided to continue, "He called me and said Tony had booked into his motel, Have we upset him?" he asked concerned.
"Don't think so dad. Tony never said anything." Gibbs said.
Tony and Luca were still asleep so he knew that they had not checked into a motel.
Tony woke up. He was looking forward to today, as he would finally get the leg cast off and the one on his wrist. It meant he would be able to walk and join in with his sons first holiday, Jackson had arranged for Gibbs to take him into the local doctors to get the cast off and then he only had six weeks of physical therapy then he would be able to prequalify for his firearms certificate and then back to work.
Gibbs knocked on the doorframe and stood there with a coffee.
"Morning Boss," Tony said.
Gibbs looked at him and raised an eyebrow, "Er, ok…..Morning Dad?" Tony ventured. Gibbs nodded and handed him the coffee.
"Thanks." Tony took a sip and savored it.
"You looking forward to getting those off?" Gibbs asked nodding towards the plaster casts.
"Yeah," Tony let out a small laugh. "Just being able to dress myself will be nice."
Gibbs understood where he was coming from, "Well, Come on son, Times a wasting." He said and moved to help Tony dress.
They had just made it to the kitchen and Luca sat down with a bowl of cereal as the door knocked.
Gibbs opened it. "Ed?" He said none to impressed he was there.
"Leroy, I'm looking for Tony DiNozzo." Ed Gantry said. He knew Tony was a federal agent, but the Millers had been friends of his and he was not about to let the man get away with murder.
He saw the back of Tony's head and pushed past Gibbs drawing his gun.
"What the hell Ed?!" Gibbs said.
"Tony DiNozzo, you're under arrest for the murders of Bob and Lucy Miller." Gantry said.
Tony looked up, "Who…..When?" He asked.
"Last night." Gantry said.
Tony looked at Jack, "Can you take Luca out for a bit please." He asked.
"Daddy?" Luca looked worried.
"For God sakes Ed, put the gun away in front of the boy," Jackson hissed.
Gantry lowered his gun, "You try anything DiNozzo…." He threatened.
Tony laughed, "You haven't had a good look at me yet have you sheriff?"
Jackson stood up, "I'll take Luca to the store, and I'll see you after your appointment." He told Tony.
"Bye daddy," Luca said giving him a kiss and then walked up to Gibbs and hugged his leg. "Bye Grandpa Boss, Look after daddy for me."
"Will do kiddo, be good." Gibbs' smile stayed on his face until Luca was out of sight.
He turned to Ed, "My boys are here recuperating from trauma, and they don't need this…..now what the hell is going on?"
"We have evidence that DiNozzo checked into the motel last night and shot Bob and Lucy Miller." Ed said.
Gibbs laughed, "Look at him, right now he need help to dress and feed, ya think he could have pulled that off?" He asked Ed who shifted position so he could see Tony fully and realized he was in a wheelchair with casts on.
Gantry holstered his gun, "Sorry, your name is the last in the register and Bob's last phone call was to this house,"
"Obviously someone is trying to set Tony up." Gibbs said.
"Was there any other evidence?" Tony asked.
"I have deputies processing the crime scene as we speak. I'll keep you informed." Ed looked at the man in the wheelchair. It was obvious he had done nothing and he felt sorry for the man as he could see he had been through something traumatic.
"Sorry, Leroy….Just doing my job." Ed capitulated.
"Listen, Tony's getting his casts off this morning how about we swing by for a bit afterwards; see if we can help any." Gibbs offered.
"Thanks. They were good people Leroy; I wanna get the bastard that did this." Ed said and left.
Tony sat on the gurney at the small doctors' clinic and smiled at Gibbs.
"It's like instant weight loss, I feel so much lighter." He grinned looking at his suddenly much smaller leg.
"There we go," The doctor said as he cut the plaster cast off his wrist.
Tony groaned in pleasure and scratched his arm, "That's soooooooo Good!" He said rolling his eyes.
"Ya need a room?" Gibbs said and Tony laughed.
"No Boss….er dad. Wow that'll take some getting used to." He grinned.
Gibbs turned to the doctor, "How long till these painkiller wear off?" He asked.
"A few more hours then he should be as right as rain." The doc said.
"I owe you one Doc." Gibbs said.
"Anytime Jethro. Just keep him healthy and let him take it easy for a few more days," The doc said.
Gibbs helped Tony up and took him out to the car.
"Gonna head to the sheriff's office before we pick up your grandpa and Luca." Gibbs told Tony, who nodded while waving his hand in front of his face.
Gibbs smiled, although he would never admit it, and he did not like Tony ever getting hurt, he did secretly love the effect that painkillers had on his surrogate son. He could have quite happily sat there and watched him go through his completely loopy on painkillers scene, but he needed to find out what happened at the motel, and that took priority.
Five minutes later they walked, somewhat unsteadily on Tony's part into the sheriffs' office.
"Hey Ed." Gibbs said.
"Leroy. How's your boy." Ed asked.
"Casts are off, he's a bit unsteady but he'll be fine." Gibbs told the other man.
"Those casts saved him from getting his ass thrown in jail though," Ed said.
"What ya got then?" Gibbs asked as he eased Tony into a chair in the corner of the room.
Ed cleared the table and started taking all the evidence out of the box for them both to see.
Tony watched as each piece was placed, on the table, "The register has the name Tony DiNozzo as the last person to sign in." Ed said.
Tony glanced at the evidence and his eyes stilled on something in the back of the box.
"Where was this?" He asked picking up the small pile of cigar butts in an evidence bag.
"In your….sorry, the man who signed in as you's, room." Ed said.
Tony blanched. "Gibbs, he's here?" he breathed.
"Your dad?" Gibbs asked. Thinking it was DiNozzo senior who had signed in.
Tony laughed, "Senior wouldn't be seen dead in a small town like this. And he sure as hell wouldn't come down here for me."
Tony hauled himself out of the chair, "Luca…Jackson….we need to get to them!" He started to panic.
"OK, Ed?" Gibbs said
Ed grabbed his guns and motioned for a couple of deputies to follow him. "Who's here?" He asked as they left the building.
Tony looked to Gibbs with horror etched all over his face.
"Roberto!"