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Tony flopped on the couch in Jenny Sheppard's office.

"Tough night, Tony?" Jenny asked Gibbs' SFA with a smirk.

"Jeanne's on nights this week, Jain-Luca isn't sleeping through yet and I'm supposed to be on form for Gibbs!" Tony moaned closing his eyes.

Jenny crossed from behind her desk. "You could tell them you know." She said softly.

Tony laughed mirthlessly. "I can just see that conversation." He said sitting up. "Hey boss, I eloped and got married while undercover to the daughter of an arms dealer, she doesn't know who I really am and oh by the way we have a son!"

"Tony!" Jenny said.

"I'm sorry Jen, I'm just tired. I am still getting grief from the others for the way I ran the team while Gibbs was on Hiatus. I couldn't trust them with this even if it wasn't classified."

Jenny handed him a cup of coffee. "Get yourself back in the game, Oh and you need to tell Jeanne you have a conference in LA, I'm going to need you and Ziva on protection detail."

"Cool, I may actually get some sleep in." Tony smiled as he pulled out a picture of his three-month-old son.

Jenny looked at it with him, "I still say he's the cutest baby ever." She smiled.

Tony nodded in appreciation "Yep gets it from his mother." He replied and he smiled at Jen and headed back out to the bullpen.

---

It had been 3 years since that conversation. His last happy memory with Jenny.

Before they had gone to L.A and she had been killed.

He had been sent on assignment as Agent Afloat as he saw it a punishment by the new Director for the death of the old one.

Moreover, he was still undercover. How could he not be, he loved Jeanne and Jain-Luca. His son was nearly three and a half now and he still had not told his teammates about them.

He did feel proud how he'd managed to keep both lives private and separate for so long, Jeanne had finished her residency and become a pediatric doctor.

Their son was smart and handsome, his dark green eyes tended to melt the heart of anyone they met. He was becoming fluent in both French and Italian as well as English and in the DiNardo household it wasn't uncommon for all three members to be talking in different languages at each other.

They had a nice three-bedroom house in the suburbs, with decent security a house befitting a university professor and his doctor wife.

The house showed they had a young family as finger paintings dotted the fridge and some of the walls; Toys were in a corner in the living room. Small wellies and wet weather gear by the front door and a small boy curled up on the couch hugging a well-loved teddy bear.

Tony sat on the sofa running his fingers through his son's hair as he slept, Jeanne walked in and handed him a coffee and kissed him.

"Tony, I have to work an extra shift tomorrow, Can you take Luca to Daycare and can I borrow the car, mine's in the shop?" She asked.

He smiled at his wife. "Sure honey, I can take the bus to work." He said inwardly worried that Gibbs would moan about his being late. He got up off the sofa and lifted his sleeping son into his arms, "I'll take him up." He said heading towards his sons' bedroom.

Jeanne followed him, "Don't be too long," She smiled and headed to their bedroom.

Jain-Luca had a great daycare place, which Tony had managed to find, halfway between the hospital and the university. A bit out of the way for NCIS but necessary for his undercover work.

… She was an undercover mission still…..wasn't she?

He loved her. That much he knew but the CIA had asked he keep his cover and as he saw it, it was the last thing he could do for Jenny, her last wish as it were.

Take La Grenouille/ Rene Benoit, (His father in law) down.

---

The team had noticed a difference in Tony since he'd come back from his time as agent afloat, he was more focused, he joked less and he never went out with the team after work….although they didn't really invite him.

Subconsciously, he still felt responsible for Jenny's death and so did they, Tim hadn't been there so it wasn't his fault and Ziva hadn't wanted to take the time off Jenny had offered but Tony, tired as he was had insisted. Therefore, they blamed him, as did Gibbs although none of them would have ever come right out and said as such.

He had stopped calling McGee probie and didn't tease him as much as he used to and he didn't push the boundaries with Ziva.

Neither of them complained as neither minded. Tony, this Tony was easier to live with and a lot less obnoxious.

Tony sat at his desk as his 'other' phone rang; he stood up and walked from his desk to the window.

"Tony." He said and listened.

He swayed a little and leant against the wall, even he thought that right now his undercover skills had just hit legendary proportions.

He took a deep breath and walked over to Gibbs, "Boss I have to leave, family emergency." Tony said

"Your father ok?" Gibbs asked concerned for his SFA

"Yeah, just a bit sick." Tony said vaguely

He grabbed his bag and left.

Gibbs was surprised the next morning not only had he not heard from Tony but there were papers on his desk requesting the next month off.

Director Vance had already signed them, so Gibbs did too.

He tried calling Tony to see how his father was; his gut said it was more than he'd been told.

"DiNozzo." Tony said answering his phone

"How's your father?" Gibbs asked.

"Huh?" Tony started and then he recovered, "He's getting better Boss, it's just going to take some time to get him settled, he had a heart attack, I've requested leave for a month to get him sorted." He lied.

"You need anything DiNozzo, you call OK?" Gibbs said.

"Sure thanks." Tony replied distractedly.

Gibbs hung up and looked at the phone, his gut hadn't eased, this unnerved him but he let it go.

The man sitting in front of Professor Tony DiNardo looked with pity at the young man. He was apparently the young man's father had just had a heart attack and the poor boy was dealing with that, as well as this.

He knew the man had a son of his own and having just lost his wife in a car bombing, it seemed to him that sometimes for some people life was just unfair.

Tony put the phone down and turned back to the funeral Director, "Sorry, work. Now about Jeanne's casket." He sighed.

---

 

Tony woke up as his now five-year-old son jumped on his bed.

"DADDY, WAKE UP!" he screamed excitedly.

Tony groaned and grabbed his son and tickled him, "Oh no Monster attack!" Tony laughed.

He eyed the clock, "Six thirty already?" He groaned, "Come on then Luca, you'll be late for Kindergarten."

It was Jain-Luca's first full day at school, Tony had found one close to the Navy yard, His son knew he was a federal agent and he had a small plastic badge he carried everywhere with him being just like daddy.

Luca stopped at the sideboard in his fathers' room; he picked up a picture on the side and kissed it, "Morning mommy, I's going to big boy school today." He smiled.

"Daddy, can momma see me going to school in heaven?" He asked.

"Sure son, Look!" He said pointing out of the window where a sunray was poking through the clouds, "She's looking right now and she's as proud of you as I am." He kissed his son, herded him towards the bathroom to get him cleaned up, and dressed for school.

He went downstairs made them both breakfast and went to get his gun out of the safe.

---

"Jain-Luca DiNozzo, If you don't hurry we will be late!" Tony called as his son dawdled outside his new school.

"I's scared daddy." Luca whispered

Tony knelt down and looked at his son.

"Just remember, Mommy is watching over you today so you'll make friends and have a great time." He said. "Naomi will be picking you up after school and I'll talk to you later ok?"

He hugged his son and hand in hand, they walked into school to take Luca to meet his teacher.

Having Naomi come and work for him and Jeanne after Jenny's death had been a Godsend for both of them, Naomi had worried what she would do after Jenny had died and Tony needed someone who actually had security clearance without alerting Jeanne to what he actually did for a living, Naomi had fitted in perfectly.

She had helped him after Jeanne had died.

Although she had thought he should have informed his team about Jeanne, her death, and his son, she had remained quiet and helped him and his son cope with her death and grow together as a family.

---

Tony made it to work with barely five minutes to spare.

"Another late night again Tony," Ziva asked him.

Tony did not answer he just put his bag down and picked up the case files he had left over from yesterday.

Gibbs really was not happy he knew whatever it was that was bugging his SFA it occurred this time every year, Tony would close off and get snappish. The last two years it had been on a Friday and a Saturday so he had taken the team off rotation hoping Tony would come talk to him, but he had not.

This year the date fell on a Monday and Tony had been in half an hour and was snapping at Tim.

"DiNozzo, Cut it out." Gibbs said.

Tony glared at him.

Gibbs' phone rang. He answered and looked at Tony, "Directors office." He said and they both headed up there.

---

Vance sat at the head of the conference table as Tony and Gibbs sat down.

"La Grenouille," Vance said.

Tony's blood ran cold.

"W…What!" he stammered. Gibbs noticed and raised an eyebrow, but did not comment.

"The operation you were on when Director Sheppard was alive, the CIA has just read me in," Vance said, "It appears La Grenouille is back in Washington and he's looking for someone."

Every single hair on Tony's neck stood on end.

"Who?" He breathed trying not to panic.

"The CIA is not sure who it is; they have a first name but no details. They contacted us as you had run the op for Director Sheppard and they are hoping you know." Vance said.

Tony tried to look nonchalant but Gibbs could see the panic hidden on his face.

"All we have is the name Jain-Luca, is it anyone you came across during your investigation."

Tony paled and jumped up from the table.

"I…I have to go." He nearly lost it completely

"Agent DiNozzo?" Vance said.

Gibbs grabbed Tony's arm to steady him, Tony pulled his arm back and turned on the Director, "He can't have him, and YOU can't have him!" Tony spat

"DiNozzo?" Gibbs said, "What's wrong."

"Rene is NOT getting his hands on MY SON!" Tony yelled and he ran from the room.

Vance looked at Gibbs shocked, "Protection detail," Vance said, "Let's sort this mess out."

---

Tony raced into the bullpen and grabbed his bag, Gibbs running in behind him.

"DINOZZO STOP!" Gibbs yelled.

Out of instinct, Tony stopped for a second.

Vance has assigned you a protection detail, sort out what you need to and then we will go.

"Does he need protecting from an ex-girlfriend?" Tim joked.

Tony and Gibbs both shot him a look, which told both Tim and Ziva this was serious.

Tony picked up the phone, "Naomi, its Tony stay there we have a situation, No everything is fine, I'm picking up Jain-Luca and we will be going away for a few days, so you might want to take some time off." He said.

He put the phone down as the others looked at him.

"Boss, we have to go." He said,

"Gear up." Gibbs said to the others.

"Where to Boss?" Tim asked.

Tony just shot him a look. "Keys," he said and Gibbs threw him the keys to the charger. On the way to the car, he stopped and pulled out a child's car seat and stashed it away in the boot.

Twenty minutes later, they pulled up outside a school. Tony had not said a word the whole way there and knowing what he was going through Gibbs, although furious about not being told, he had not pushed him.

They walked into the office.

---

Tony showed the receptionist his badge and asked for the headmistress five minutes later, she sent a message asking for Jain-Luca to be brought out from class.

Tony stood with Tim and Ziva in the hallway as Gibbs walked the route between the office and the car.

"All clear," He said as he got back.

"What are we doing here?" Ziva asked.

"DADDY!" yelled a small voice as Luca flew up the corridor and grabbed Tony around the leg.

Tim and Ziva looked at each other in shock Tony had a son?

"Hey buddy," Tony said, lifting his son up, "We are going on a little holiday."

"But Daddy, I just made a new friend." Luca said.

"That's nice," Tony said as they walked towards the car.

"He says he's my grandfather," Luca chatted along happily. Tony stopped abruptly causing Ziva to bump into him.

"Jain-Luca, where did you meet him?" Tony asked calmly although he had started to shake.

"In the playground, he had a picture of momma." Luca said.

Tony shot a panicked look at Gibbs, "That's nice." He said reaching the car; he strapped Luca into the car seat. Tim groaned, as he had to sit on the hump.

"OK we are going to see where daddy works, alright pal," Tony said and could not help the smile as his son cheered.

 

They exited the elevator Abby was in the bullpen waiting for Tim to take her to lunch.

Tony came out last with his son clinging to his leg feeling rather shy.

"Hello…?" Abby said to the little boy who hid even more behind Tony. "I thought kids hated you?" Abby said to him.

Tony shot her a look and moved him to his desk.

"Luca, Sit here and color while I go and talk to my boss ok?" Tony said pulling out a coloring book and pens from Lucas' backpack.

Luca nodded and started to color.

"Are we calling child services?" Abby asked.

Tony shot her a look. "No."

Ducky walked up "Luca?" he said as the small boy ran up and hugged Ducky.

"Ducky! I saw my Grandpa today." He smiled as Ducky lifted him up.

"That's nice Luca is Noemi with you?" He asked.

"No daddy says she's to wait at home," Luca giggle, "Daddy still gets her name wrong." He confided giggling.

"I think maybe daddy does it on purpose." Ducky said conspiratorially as the little boy laughed clearly comfortable in the elder man's company.

Ducky turned to Tony, "I'll take him to the break room for some lunch, you go and do what you have to Anthony," the M.E said.

"Thanks Ducky and no sweets this time." Tony said and smiled as he saw Ducky wink at Luca and knew his son would have some sweets by the time he next saw him.

Ducky went off with the boy and Gibbs rounded on Tony.

"Ducky knew?" he said with more venom than he meant to.

Tony's face went blank. "He's my doctor and Luca's since his mom died."

"Luca's your son?" Abby asked surprised.

Tony raised an eyebrow, "Nothing gets past you lot does it." He said starkly.

"You didn't tell us, you didn't tell me!" Abby said upset.

"Why in the hell would I tell you lot it's not like you trust me!" Tony got more agitated, "You think with the way you all treat me I'd let you anywhere near him."

Abby stepped back her mouth open in shock and tears in her eyes.

"I know this day sets you on edge…." Gibbs began, about to tell Tony to calm down.

Tony slammed his bag down and sat heavily in his chair, "God! Of all the days for this to happen." Tony looked at Gibbs distraught. "He picked this day on purpose,"

"Why Tony?" Gibbs asked.

"Jeanne died two years ago today." Tony said as a stray tear ran down his cheek.

"She was your assignment under covers yes?" Ziva asked.

"Undercover….." Tony corrected her,

"And you are sad because she died while you were protecting her?" she prompted.

"She was my wife," Tony admitted. "She was Jain-Luca's mother and I loved her."

"I would never let myself get so involved with a target." Ziva admonished.

"Yet another way you are better than me then." Tony spat and stalked off to the Directors office. Leaving Ziva and Tim standing in his wake.

---

Tony walked into Director Vance's office with Gibbs behind him,

"Ok, what have you got on Rene, he was at Luca's school, and I want him gone." Tony said coldly.

"Can you fill us in on your assignment with Jeanne Beniot?" Vance asked.

"Jenny asked me to get close to her and find out anything I could on her father." Tony said sinking into the chair beside Gibbs. "She had no contact from him but Jenny was convinced…" He paused

"Did she suggest you make your relationship more intimate?" Vance asked.

"Well, yeah it kinda ended up that way and I fell for her anyway, she never knew who I really was." His voice dropped as he fought back the bubble of sadness welling within him.

"She got pregnant and I married her, Rene cut her off and refused to acknowledge Jain-Luca when he was born, He came to her funeral though told me he knew who I was and that he'd make me pay….I haven't seen him since."

Gibbs looked at him, "Why didn't you say anything when Jenny died?" he asked.

Tony pulled himself up and essentially looked like a sullen teenager, "Jenny knew how tired I was when we went on that protection detail, Luca wasn't sleeping through and she gave Ziva and I the afternoon off so I could rest up, I couldn't tell you the truth as it was classified. Then she died and YOU had me shipped off as Agent Afloat." He shot Vance a pointed look.

"What about when you got back." Vance asked.

"It was a joint NCIS/CIA mission, you never brought it up and I wasn't told you were read in." Tony looked at him incredulously, he could not believe he had to explain classified to his boss. "Look, Do I really need to explain myself!" He snapped. "Rene is after my son, we need to stop him."

"It's ok Tony we will all be there for you." Gibbs said

Tony laughed, "That'll be a change." He snapped.

Gibbs glared at him, "what do ya mean DiNozzo?"

"If you had told us…" Gibbs started.

"I could just see that conversation, hey Boss, I slept with my target and got her pregnant and we eloped and she got blown up because her father was trying to kill me and she took my car. You'd have headslapped me into next week!" Tony stated.

"The team haven't been here for me since you took off to Mexico, Hell I even had to lie to you to get time off when Rene's thugs blew up my car and killed her and I had to bury her myself." Tony stormed out of the room.

Vance looked at Gibbs, "We need to bring La Grenouille down and you need to get your team in order, or DiNozzo could walk."

---

Rene Beniot sat outside NCIS with Trent Kort in his limousine, "We need to take the boy he is not safe with his father."

"And you think he would be safe with you?" Kort questioned.

"I can keep him safe; I made a mistake not taking him when Jeanne died. DiNozzo is arrogant he will get killed and then there will no one to take care of him, and having Jain-Luca to take over the business when he is older is just a plus." Beniot said

He knew had he been having this conversation with any other CIA Agent it would get back to Agent DiNozzo, but Kort was as dirty as they came, he used his CIA contacts as needed but was at heart Rene's right hand man.

Kort smiled sadistically "I will find out where they are taking them and we will get the boy." He promised

 

Tony walked back to the bullpen as Ducky came back with Luca.

"Daddy, Ducky got me sweets." Luca smiled with chocolate all round his face.

Tony rolled his eyes and reached into Luca's backpack, pulled out a wipe lifted Luca onto his desk and wiped his face clean.

"There you go buddy," He said smiling at his son.

"Can we go home now daddy?" Luca asked.

"Not yet, we have to go and stay somewhere else for a while." Tony looked at his son as the boys face clouded over.

"But daddy, how will mommy find me to kiss me goodnight?" Luca asked earnestly.

Ziva and Tim waiting to take them to the safe house looked confused at the little boy's question.

Tony crouched down so he was eye to eye with his son. "Jain-Luca, mommy is an angel and can find you wherever you are, but I will call Noemi and make sure she brings mommy's picture with her ok?"

Luca hugged his dad, jumped up and grabbed his bag "Can I have a pizza at the new house?" He asked all excited again.

Tony smiled "Sure, Come on then," Tony turned to Tim and Ziva, "You'd better hurry up."

---

They pulled up at the safe house and Tony waited with Luca while Ziva and Tim checked it was clear then Tim helped Tony in with Lucas' stuff.

"I gotta make two calls," Tony said pulling out his cell phone with one hand and setting a plate of pizza in front of Luca with the other hand.

"Is Noemi coming to stay with us?" Luca asked with his mouthful of pizza.

Tony shot his son a look and Luca made a big show of closing his mouth and sticking his hand over it. Ziva giggled silently she was amazed how different he was from the man she had worked with. Here with his son Tony was a completely different person.

"I'm calling Noemi and your uncle," Tony told him and smiled as Luca's eyes lit up.

"He's here?" Luca asked.

"Yes he landed yesterday now eat your dinner, then its bath and bed for you." Tony walked out and sat with Tim.

Noemi and Gibbs turned up at the same time. Tony ignored Gibbs and went straight to Noemi, "He's finishing his dinner, so it's just bath and bed. Call me when you're ready and I'll come up."

"Yes Mr. Tony." Noemi said and went into the kitchen.

Gibbs walked up to him, "Tim says you called Luca's uncle?"

"My cousin actually I need the inside scoop on what's going on and someone I trust to watch Lucas' back." Tony said bluntly.

"You really don't trust us do you?" Gibbs said.

"Sure with my life….it isn't that important, but with Lucas' life….not so much."

Gibbs took a deep breath, "Well I hope we can get you to trust us again,"

"I learnt a long time ago not to trust people who will kick you when you're down. Tim and Ziva did that, you went away, came back, and treated me like dirt and Abby was the cheerleading section. The only two people I still trust are Ducky and Jimmy, they are the only two people I trust with Luca apart from Noemi and my cousin." Tony said.

"I'm sorry." Gibbs said flatly.

Tony looked at him and opened his mouth but just as he was about to speak Noemi called him.

"Mr. Tony, Luca is ready!"

"My son needs me." Tony said and walked out.

Gibbs followed quietly behind him and stood at the door as Tony tucked his son in and took a book out of his bag, and reached in and got a photograph out as well.

"Jain-Luca, Kiss mommy goodnight and I'll read you a story." Tony said softly.

"Night Mommy, watch over me and Daddy and Uncle Ducky and Uncle Jimmy and Noemi and Daddy's friends from work and….."

"Ok pal, this isn't an Oscars speech, snuggle down now," Tony said smiling. He tucked in the covers as Luca snuggled deeper into the bed.

Tony grabbed Lucas' bear out of his bag and tucked him in too.

He picked up the book and read to his son until he was asleep.

Tony stood up and shot Gibbs a look as he walked past him and shut the door.

"Just had to watch did you," Tony said waiting for a put down from Gibbs like all the other put downs he had received since Gibbs' return from Mexico.

"You're a great father. This hasn't distressed your son at all." He said.

Tony looked up in surprise and could not help the smile that crossed his face "Thanks," He said and meant it.

---

They sat in the kitchen. Tony filled Tim and Ziva in on what Rene was and what had happened with Jeanne.

"I can't tell you too much, what Rene does is illegal he is an international arms dealer, The CIA have an inside man, who is great at what he does but Rene is brutal and I think he'd not only take Jain-Luca but he wants me dead too." Tony paused, "Jeanne died driving my car, and I think Rene was behind it and he now blames me for her death as much as I blame him, it's just a matter of time to see who kills whom first."

"Maybe I'll just kill him," Said a voice behind them.

Tony smiled as the others whirled around, "Trent Kort!" he exclaimed, "Now I know Rene Beniot is back in town."

Gibbs, Ziva and Tim pulled out their guns as Kort walked to the fridge for a beer.

"Put those away," Tony said. "He's no threat."

"Tony, Kort is a dirty CIA agent." Gibbs said.

"I'd better have a shower then." Kort quipped. "Where's the kid?" he asked.

"In bed," Tony said, "You missed him, you can see him in the morning. For Gods sake boss put your gun away you look stupid."

"Tony, Kort is Rene's right hand man." Gibb growled.

"Well DUH!" Tony said and the others looked at him shocked. "You think I don't know that."

"So why are we trusting him?" Ziva asked.

"UNCLE TRENT!" Luca yelled and jumped into his arms.

Trent hugged his nephew, "Hey Luca, what you doing up."

"I heard voices and got scared," Luca said hugging Kort. "Daddy can I stay up with Uncle Trent?"

"Nope it's past your bedtime, Trent you wanna take him back up?" Tony asked him.

Kort nodded and looked at Luca, "Lead the way."

"Night Daddy, Love you," Luca said kissing his dad. Tony returned the sentiment and reached for his coffee as Luca and Kort left the room.

---

"So you don't trust us but you trust Kort?" Gibbs spat at Tony.

"He's family." Tony said simply. "Trent is my cousin, I needed someone on the inside and Kort's CIA and has a reputation of being dirty, who better to protect my son."

"But he's not Italian?" McGee said confused.

"He's Uncle Clive Paddington's nephew so family on my mothers' side," Tony explained.

"All the times we've dealt with him and you never said?" Gibbs countered.

"Rule 7, besides you never asked." Tony stated. "So what is Rene up to?" He asked turning to Trent who had reentered the room.

"Beniot was doing a deal with an Algerian arms dealer who was shot and his son took up the reins of his empire, it got the old man thinking who would take over after him and he fixed on Jain-Luca." Kort said accepting the coffee Tony had ready for him and sliding into the seat next to his cousin.

"Did you even try and talk him out of it?" Tony asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, but he's got it fixated and he's determined to destroy you as well." Kort replied

"He already did that once." Tony said quietly.

"Well, I'm here now Cuz and he isn't going to do it this time, we just need to figure out how to stop him." Kort said looking Tony in the eye, knowing how much Tony had been hurt the last time Rene had gone on one of his crusades.

Kort put his coffee down, "I gotta go I'm trying to find the location of your safe house right now." He explained.

Tony put an arm around the man, "Be careful and keep in touch."

"Will do, and you guys protect them, if anything happens to them I'll come after you guys." Kort threatened and then Tony walked to the door, the two men in a quiet conversation that the others could not here. Kort nodded at Tony and then left.

 

Gibbs opened his eyes and tried to get out of bed.

A pair of hands pushed him back onto the bed. "Boss you need to rest."

"No, you don't understand…..let me go!" Gibbs frantically tried to wriggle free, "Tony…Luca…in danger," He gasped.

"We know you got us the information," McGee said as he calmed his boss down.

"Did you find him?" Gibbs asked getting more coherent by the second.

"No." McGee admitted, "We have BOLO's out for the SUV and Rene Benoit."

"Help me get out of here." Gibbs ordered and McGee went to find a doctor to sign him out.

"Mr. Gibbs." Dr. Sangster said as he entered the room.

"Just Gibbs," He growled, "I need to get out of here."

"Well lucky for you both the gunshots were flesh wounds both the one in the arm and the leg; however we are concerned about where you hit your head as you fell." The doctor said.

"I know the drill for concussion Doc, now where are those damn papers I have a missing agent and a kid to find."

The doctor reluctantly handed over the papers. "I trust you to bring him back if he has any adverse effects." The doctor said to McGee.

"Sure Doctor." Tim promised.

---

Gibbs and Tim made it back to the naval yard where Ziva was still running down the Bolo trying everything she knew to find both Tony and Jain-Luca.

"Sit Rep," Gibbs said as he limped into the bullpen.

"Nothing yet, I have a statewide alert out," Ziva told him.

No one looked up as the elevator dinged until one of the support staff screamed as Tony collapsed in a bloody mess just outside the bullpen.

Gibbs grabbed his phone, "Ducky get up here bring your med kit now!"

Tim lifted Tony gently and put his jacket under his head.

"Tony….Tony?" He said.

Tony's eye looked around until they locked on Gibbs.

Gibbs' heart clenched as he saw a look that had been familiar to him years ago.

"Boss, he's dead…." Tony groaned and fainted

Ziva and Tim looked at each other stricken. "His son is dead?" Ziva asked

"I think so." Tim said sadly.

Ducky and Jimmy turned up and started patching up his wounds.

Gibbs had collapsed into a chair and from his vantage point on the balcony; Vance had never seen his MCRT look so broken.

As the paramedics came in to help Tony was lifted upright but showed no awareness of his surroundings.

"Mr. DiNozzo?" The paramedic said.

"It's Agent DiNozzo," Tim corrected automatically.

"Agent DiNozzo, my name is Jim…can you hear me?" He asked he looked over at his partner Andy, "Hey Andy it looks like he's catatonic, he has multiple abrasions and possible broken ribs and an arm…..OMG these look like an electrical wire was tied around him…so possible electric shock." Jim said getting himself together. He listened to his lungs. "Lungs sound strange." He said to himself.

"Our Anthony had the plague a while back," Ducky told him.

Jim raised an eyebrow in surprise "Really!"

"Yes he was infected with Y pestis. You should take him to Bethesda his doctor is Brad Pitt." Ducky informed him

Jim nodded, "Yeah he's a good guy." He looked at Andy, "Are we good to go?"

Andy nodded and he finished strapping Tony onto a gurney.

"I'm coming too," Gibbs, said, "I'm his next of kin."

"I'll take you in my car Jethro," Ducky said, he did not want to upset his friend by telling him he was not Tony's next of kin anymore, Ducky was and had been for five years. He figured he could tell him privately in the car on his way to Bethesda.

---

They arrived at Bethesda, Ziva and Tim in one car and Gibbs and Ducky in another.

Gibbs had nodded blindly as Ducky had explained that he was no longer Tony's next of kin and was having flashbacks himself to when Shannon and Kelly died and needed to be roused by Ducky as he parked up the car.

"Jethro…Jethro we're here, come on Anthony needs us now, we must not let him down." Ducky said.

Gibbs shakily got up and went to the nurses' station with Ducky.

"Anthony DiNozzo?" Ducky said as the nurse looked through her records.

"Are you Dr. Mallard his next of Kin?" She asked

"Yes my dear," He replied.

"Dr. Cooper will be out soon, we are waiting for his cousin it is on his notes that he needed to be called in case of emergency."

"Oh, I wasn't aware he had family." Ducky said surprised, of course, he knew about his father but other family had not been discussed.

"Kort." Gibbs said and picked up his phone and called him. Ducky looked at him and listened. "Kort, its Gibbs, DiNozzo's in Bethesda he needs you how fast can you get here…..ok." He put the phone down. "He's on his way Duck." Gibbs said and sank into the waiting room chair.

An hour later Kort arrived at the hospital.

"What happened?" He demanded

"Luca and Tony were kidnapped. Tony arrived at the office and collapsed outside the bullpen, he was brought here." Gibbs said.

"Where's Luca?" Kort demanded angrily.

"He's dead, Beniot killed him." Gibbs snapped

"The hell he did." Kort answered back, "There's no way in hell Rene hurt that kid, and all his plans hinge on him raising him."

The two men stood nose to nose each one wanting to hit the other but out of respect for DiNozzo neither one made a move.

---

Dr Cooper walked into the room, "Family of Anthony DiNozzo?"

"Yeah, Doc." Kort said.

"He's awake but not talking he's refusing medication," said concerned for his patient

"The hell he is!" Kort walked into the room with Gibbs and Ducky hot on his heels.

"JUNIOR!" Kort yelled and Tony shot up in the bed.

"Shit Kort, you sound like my old man!" Tony growled.

"Good!" Kort shot back at him, "What the hell do you think you're doing refusing medication and wallowing in self pity when your son needs you." He said not giving Tony an inch.

Tony's face broke and tears spilled from his eyes, "He's dead, they shot him."

"Did you see it?" Kort asked blankly.

"I saw him playing, and then they turned off the lights and then I heard the shot." Tony sobbed.

"Bloody hell Junior, He played you. Luca is alive!" Kort growled.

Tony sat up and ripped the I.V out of his arm, "What am I doing here then, we've got to get him back," he said

 

Rene looked up annoyed as the plane slowly rumbled to a halt. He picked up the internal phone that connected him to the pilot.

"What's wrong," He snapped.

"Just been asked by the tower to wait here for an incoming plane to land," The pilot lied, after been told by the tower there was a kidnapped child on the plane there was no way he was taking off.

The flight attendant opened the door as Rene realized there were cars outside the plane.

Tony with Gibbs hot on his heels ran up the stairs.

"Just give me a reason." Tony said as he leveled his gun at Rene.

Rene put his hands up as Gibbs cuffed him.

"Where the hell is my son," Tony spat not being able to see him.

"Sir, He's back here." The flight attendant said and Tony followed her to the back where Jain Luca had sobbed himself to sleep.

Tony quickly looked his son over for any obvious signs of injury. Finding none, he knelt down and put his hand on Luca's shoulder.

"Hey Luca, you gonna wake up for me?" He said gently shaking him.

Luca did not wake up and Tony started to panic.

He walked up to Rene "What did you do to him?"

"It is just a sedative; I didn't want him whining for you the whole trip." Rene said.

"Son of a….." Tony started to bring his fist back but Kort caught his arm from behind him.

"No." Kort said and Rene smiled.

"Allow me….." Kort said and smashed his fist into Rene Benoit's face.

The look of shock that passed over him just before his fist impacted was awesome.

Both Gibbs and Tony grinned at the sight.

"B….But you work for me!" Rene spluttered surprised that his number two would help them.

Kort laughed derisively "I work for the CIA, you are an assignment."

"What!" Rene was shocked and Tony laughed as Gibbs turned Rene around to lead him off the plane.

"Kort, I need your help." Tony said and they both went over to Luca. "Can you drive us to the hospital, I want him checked out."

Kort nodded and helped Tony as he carried his sleeping son off the plane.

---

Rene sat in the interview room fuming. He had been so close. He could not believe the only person he trusted, his number two had betrayed him.

Tim and Ziva stood the other side of the two-way mirror looking at the man who had tried to kidnap Tony's son.

"Poor Tony being related to him!" Tim said.

"What about poor him being related to Tony?" Ziva said meaning it as a joke.

"It's no wonder Tony doesn't trust you two." Ducky said moving from the corner where he had been sitting unnoticed.

"Ducky, I didn't mean it like that," Ziva backtracked quickly.

"What did you mean it like?" Ducky asked.

Ziva opened her mouth and then just shut it again.

"That boy has put up with a huge amount from both of you and never once thrown it back in your faces or failed to have your backs. I suggest if you want to keep repairing your relationship with him you think before you speak." Ducky admonished them both.

Tim was surprised at the look of satisfaction on the face of the technician sitting in the corner who whispered "Way to go Ducky!"

"Why thank you Samuel," Ducky replied.

Sam smiled. He had always liked Tony as did most of the other staff and they hated the way Tony's team treated him.

Ducky got up to go, "Ducky, How's Luca?" Sam asked.

Tim and Ziva were shocked at the fact that Sam knew about Tony's son. "He's at the hospital; he was injected with a sedative so they are having him checked out."

"Tell him I hope he's ok, Luca's a great kid." Sam said as Ducky nodded and left.

"You knew?" Tim asked shocked.

"I'm Tony's friend," Was all Sam said and turned back to do his job.

---

Gibbs walked in and set his coffee down in front of Rene.

He sat and just looked at the man.

"You're Agent Gibbs." Rene said.

Gibbs took a drink of his coffee and said nothing.

"He killed my daughter, you should be interrogating him not me," Rene said getting agitated.

Gibbs merely raised an eyebrow, but still said nothing.

Tim and Ziva were impressed this was a new technique the boss was getting information and he had not said a word.

Gibbs had not spoken because internally he was trying not to leap over the desk and pound the life out of this man. The man who had hurt Jenny Sheppard, and his SFA and Tony's sweet son.

They were family and Gibbs wouldn't let family get hurt…..without revenge, but he knew that what the CIA had planned was going to be more than worth it and he besides he never wanted to look into the eyes of Tony's son and have to admit he killed his grandfather.

---

Tony sat beside his son's bed as the doctor finished examining him.

"Mr. DiNozzo, your son's blood work came back, it is only a mild sedative he'll probably sleep for about 12 more hours and then he'll wake normally." The doctor told him.

Tony looked gratefully at the man, "Can I take him home?" he asked.

"Sure, make sure there is someone with him, but it'll probably do your son the world of good to wake up in his own bed,"

Tony gathered Luca in his arms and he and Kort left the building.

"Home then?" Kort asked

"Nope, Luca will sleep so we'll go to NCIS and pick up Ducky and you can both take him back to my place, Pick up Noemi on the way, I have to 'talk' to Rene." Tony said.

Kort looked at his cousin, he was worried he had never seen that look in Tony's eye before, Senior…yeah all too often usually right before he had gone after Tony and it made the seasoned CIA agent shiver.

Tony gently strapped Luca into his car seat and they set off for NCIS.

Ducky stood in the car park as they drove up.

"Anthony, are you sure you want to do this?" Ducky asked him.

"Not really but I have to do this," Tony admitted "Will you be ok watching Luca for me the doctor says he should just sleep for twelve hours but just in case…."

"Of course I will watch Jain-Luca, he will be in the best hands, do what you need to do Anthony and then come home to your boy." Ducky said and got in the car.

---

Tony walked into the NCIS building and went to his desk.

No one was in the bullpen as he took off his gun and placed it in his desk drawer and then headed off to interrogation.

Gibb sat and finished up his coffee as Rene was getting more and more uncomfortable. Then still without a word, he got up and left, leaving Rene more confused than he had been through the whole non-interrogation.

Tim and Ziva still watching looked at each other confused,

"Why has he not said anything, what is he waiting for?" Ziva asked confused.

"Me." Tony said from behind them.

Gibbs opened the door to observation.

"You ready DiNozzo?" He asked.

Tony nodded and followed him leaving the other two to wonder how their boss knew Tony was in the building.

Rene looked up as the door opened and his face clouded over as Tony came in and sat down.

"You!" he spat.

Tony grinned.

"Rene Benoit." Tony said. "You are being charged with the kidnapping and the attempted unlawful extradition of a federal agent's dependant, also the masterminding of the murder of Director Jenny Sheppard of NCIS," he said "And that's just our charges, The CIA will be picking you up and you'll be charged with Arms dealing and probably a few more counts of Murder."

Rene scowled at him.

"You won't be seeing daylight again," Tony smiled.

"Jain-Luca is my grandson I had every right…." Rene started and jumped back as Tony's face changed and his fist hit the table.

"You have no rights at all, Luca is MY son and Jeanne would have hated you for what you did to him, you disrespected her memory." He spat his face inches from Rene's.

"And Rene, YOU killed your daughter, she died in my car but you planted the bomb. You MURDERED your own child. You are a pitiful excuse for a father,"

Both Tim and Ziva shivered at the coldness in his voice. Tony looked towards the mirror and nodded and Sam cut the security feed.

Tony grabbed Rene by the Throat and whispered in his ear. "You will never touch my son or even think about him, or I WILL kill you. If you live that long in prison…..you know what they do to child murderers in prison don't you Rene."

Rene blanched, "Jeanne was a grown woman!"

"She was your child." Tony said with the hint of an evil grin. He let go of Rene and walked out as Rene slumped down the wall sobbing.

Tim and Ziva looked shocked as seconds later a totally different Tony stuck his head around the corner.

"Thanks Sam," He said smiling.

"Always got your back DiNozzo." Sam replied and started up the feed again.

 

Tony smiled as two CIA Agents picked up Rene.

"We'll take him from here Sir," They said.

"Can't wait to see you in court, dad." Tony sneered.

The two CIA Agents looked quizzically at Tony, "Father in law." Tony explained and then walked out.

Gibbs was waiting in the bullpen for Tony to return. "Hand over go ok?" He asked.

Tony sat at his desk and looked at his boss with a great deal of satisfaction. "Yep, CIA has him and the next time I see him will hopefully be as they lead him from court in chains for the rest of his miserable little life."

"You can head back home Tony." Gibbs said.

"Soon, I want to get this paperwork done first." Tony said. He sat at his desk and worked his way through his report of his kidnapping and his rescue of his son. He knew once he got it done he could spend the next few days with his son without worrying that he would make a mistake in the paperwork and give Rene a way to escape prison.

Tim and Ziva finished off their paperwork and left for the evening. Although both said goodbye to Tony, they knew he still had not totally forgiven them for their behavior while Gibbs had been away but they hoped now his son was back that things would improve between them.

---

Gibbs looked up as two men in suits approached his desk.

"Agent Gibbs?" The taller of the two men asked.

"Yes?" Gibbs replied and Tony looked up interested.

"Agents Jackson and Sterling CIA, we're here to escort Rene Benoit into custody," The man said.

Gibbs looked at Tony who walked over to them.

"You already took him?" Gibbs said but as he looked over to his SFA Tony was already on the phone.

"Kort, Rene's escaped. Bring Ducky and Luca back here now." Tony put the phone down on Kort's swearing.

The two CIA agents looked at each other upon hearing Kort's name, but quickly turned their attention back to the matter at hand.

"What do you mean he's not here, we have orders to take him, and no one else from our office has been here?" Sterling said.

Gibbs picked up his phone and called Abby up to the bullpen.

---

While they waited, the two CIA agents called, their offices to make sure no one else had been sent and Tony paced the room like a tiger.

The elevator dinged and Kort came in carrying a still asleep Luca with Ducky close behind.

On seeing his son safe Tony visibly relaxed "Thanks," He said quietly to Kort as Ducky took the child from his arms, "I will take him down to sleep on the sofa in my office, I will put autopsy on lockdown it's the safest place in the building."

Tony gently brushed a stray hair from his sons' face. "Thanks Ducky, Call me when he wakes up."

He watched as Ducky and Luca left and turned to the agents

"Anything?" He asked.

"We are still awaiting confirmation." Agent Jackson replied. "Did you not check their paperwork?"

Both Gibbs and Tony glared at the man and he visibly took a step back. "I….I'm just saying, its protocol and no one should be able to take a suspect out of the building without paperwork." Jackson stammered.

---

"Hey, whaddya need Gibbs?" Abby asked bouncing into the room.

"Can you access the internal camera's we need pictures of the two men who took Benoit earlier." Gibbs said to her.

"OK? " Abby said confused, "How come they sent some more guys?"

"They didn't the first guys were fake Abs," Tony said

"I should have bloody took him in myself." Kort snapped. Tony nodded agreeing with him and then stopped as the two CIA Agents snorted.

"Yeah right." Sterling said.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Tony snapped.

"We all know Kort's reputation." Jackson said derisively.

"It's a cover you twit!" Tony snapped, "He's a better agent than the pair of you put together and I trust him with finding Rene a hell of a lot more than I do you."

Kort walked up to Tony and grabbed a candy bar out of his pocket, "Sit, Eat. You are no good to anyone if your head is not totally in the game and you are getting snappy. I'll get you a soda." He said and walked off.

---

Ten minutes later Tony looked up and realized Kort had not come back. He and Gibbs had spent that time hunting down leads and checking out the footage Abby had managed to get of the two people that had collected Rene.

Tony's gut started to churn, as he noticed the time.

He picked up the phone, "Ducky is Trent with you?" He asked.

"No, I haven't seen him Anthony," Ducky answered. "Luca is still starting to wake up though." He told the SFA, "You might want to head down here."

"On my way Ducky." Tony said.

"Luca's waking up." Tony told Gibbs. "I'm going down to autopsy."

"I thought we were trying to fine Benoit?" Jackson snarked.

Tony turned on him, "My five year old son thinks I am dead thanks to Rene, I fully intend to show him I'm not and that he's safe."

"Shoulda kept it in ya pants and then we wouldn't be having this problem." Jackson said under his breath.

Tony whirled and smacked Jackson in the mouth, "You disrespect my family again and it'll be the last thing you ever do. Now I'm going to see my son and you can sit here!" He snapped pushing Jackson into his chair, "And find my sodding father in law." He turned and let out a small smile at the grin Gibbs quickly shot him and he went downstairs.

Standing in the elevator, he pulled his phone out of his pocket; this was starting to drive him crazy. He dialed a number and waited as it picked up.

"Trent where the hell are you….." He said into the phone.

"Getting you a soda, why?" Trent said to him.

"You left us with dumb and dumber upstairs, Luca is waking up and I need you here." Tony said getting crankier by the moment. "And how come it takes you ten minutes to get a soda?"

"OK, I have a contact who doesn't know I'm CIA yet so I called him to find out which safe house Rene would run to, I think I have a lead. I'll call as soon as I get something concrete,"

"Fine, Stay on it and stay safe ok?" Tony sighed.

"Will do, hug Luca for me." Kort said and hung up.

---

Tony walked into autopsy "Hey Ducky, How his he?" Tony asked.

"Daddy!" Came a voice from the back office.

Tony walked straight into Ducky's office and gathered his son into his arms.

Luca hugged his dad; tears rolling down is face. "I'm sorry daddy, for being bad at the play park, can you stay with me or do you have to go back to mummy now." He sobbed.

"Luca, Daddy didn't die, I'm not going to heaven, and I'm staying here with you." Tony said.

"But Grandpere said that you had gone to heaven with momma?"

"Grandpere made a mistake, he is a confused man and Daddy is going to find him and sort him out." Tony checked his son over quickly, "I need you to stay here with Ducky for a while, and you must promise me you won't go off with anyone else."

"I promise daddy." Luca said, "I love you daddy, you come back soon," Luca smiled and sat up as Ducky came in with a juice box for him.

Tony kissed the top of Luca's head and got up, "Don't let anyone else take him, I'll be back soon" He said and left.

He headed up to the bullpen to fill Gibbs in.

---

"I talked to Kort on my way down to autopsy; he's chasing down a lead and will call soon."

"Good" Gibbs said, "How's Luca?" He asked concerned

"He's ok, a bit confused. I don't know how to tell him his grandfather is a lying manipulative bastard." Tony sighed leaning on the edge of Gibbs' desk looking at the pictures of the two fake agents who had taken Benoit earlier.

"Any hits on facial recognition." He asked.

"Not yet!" Abby said popping her head up from behind McGee's computer. Her face a study of concentration "Gibbs have you called Tim yet?" She asked, "I could really use his help on this."

"Already done Abs, He and Ziva are on their way back in." Gibbs told them.

 

Ziva turned up an hour later, slightly annoyed as McGee had offered to pick her up, but he had not turned up so she had eventually called a taxi.

"Is he here?" She moaned as she walked into the bullpen.

"Who?" Tony asked

"Tim. He was supposed to give me a lift and did not turn up. I ended up having to hop it," Ziva ranted.

"Its hoof it." Tony said rolling his eyes, "I'm sure McTardy has a good explanation."

Tony said picking up his cell phone and typing in the numbers for Tim's phone.

He looked over at Gibbs concerned, as he could not get an answer. "Boss, He's not picking up" Tony told him.

"Abby, can you try tracing his phone's GPS?" Gibbs asked her, she nodded and got onto it.

Tony's phone vibrated and he picked it up.

He looked at the message and then put the phone back in his desk.

After about ten minutes of paper shuffling he turned to Gibbs, "Can you watch Luca for me; I'm going on a coffee run." He asked.

"Sure, but isn't Ducky watching him?" Gibbs said.

"Er, Yeah, Got to go boss," Tony said and headed for the elevator.

As the doors closed, He leaned against the back of the elevator and ran his hand over his face. "God, McGee!" he said to himself.

---

Gibbs watched his SFA go and moments later looked up as Agent Jackson entered with a tray of coffee.

"Hey, where's DiNozzo, He sent me for this, he owes me twenty bucks." Jackson sniped.

"DiNozzo sent you for coffee?" Gibbs asked his gut starting to churn.

Jackson nodded and Gibbs walked around his desk, went to Tony's desk and opened the drawer.

"Dammit!" he growled.

"Gibbs what is wrong?" Ziva asked instantly concerned.

Gibbs took out Tony's badge, gun and cell phone and dropped them on the table.

Opening Tony's phone he pressed some buttons and handed the phone to Abby, "Get the text thingy off of this, the last one he received." He said

"Do you think Tony is in trouble?" Ziva asked

"When isn't he," Gibbs said and looked over at Abby.

"Gibbs….."Abby started and trailed off quietly. With tears in her eyes, she handed Gibbs the phone.

There was a picture of Tim.

He was beaten, and tied to a chair with a gun pointed to his head. The message accompanying it just said. "You can stop this, go to where you keep Jeanne's life and I will trade him for you. You have ten minutes."

"Damn him!" Gibbs exclaimed.

Ziva picked up the phone and looked at it, her eyes widening at the contents, "Where is this place in the message?" She asked. "Could it be where Jeanne died when Tony's car blew up?"

"OK Abby, Ziva I need you on the police reports for the death of Jeanne DiNozzo." Gibbs ordered.

The two other Agents stood there, "Sir, What can we do?" Sterling asked.

"Help them!" Gibbs snapped.

---

Two hours later Ziva threw her pen on the desk and swore in Hebrew.

"I cannot find any record of a Jeanne DiNozzo anywhere in the system." She said

"You are looking for Jeanne?" Ducky asked as he and Luca walked into the bullpen.

Ziva nodded at Ducky.

"Hey Boss." Luca said running to Gibbs and hugging his leg.

"Hey little man, you feeling better?" Gibbs asked lifting Luca onto his chair.

Luca nodded, "Where's daddy?" he asked.

"He's gone to the coffee shop, he'll be back soon," Gibbs looked at Ducky, "Maybe you should take Luca to the break room. He could watch some T.V?"

"PLEASE!" Luca bounced up and down excited.

Ducky noticed the look Gibbs was giving him.

"Of course Jethro, Oh and Ziva, Try looking under DiNardo. It was the name Tony and Jeanne lived under." Ducky said as he left.

"Found it!" Ziva said within seconds.

Gibbs waited for Ducky to take Luca out of earshot. "Ok, Ziva what do you have?" He asked.

"There is a U-Haul moving and Storage at South Capitol St. There is a lock up registered to a Tony DiNardo." She pulled up the details and there was a photo of Tony on the paperwork.

"It's just outside the navy yard, Gear up." He said, the two CIA Agents stood there.

"He means grab your stuff and come on." Ziva said ushering them out of the bullpen.

---

As they pulled up to the U-haul place, Ziva jumped out of the car and went to where a body was hunched over.

The CIA agents hung back and Gibbs and Ziva started to approach warily "Tim!" Ziva ran over to him.

"Call the paramedics!" Gibbs called to the two Agents, Jackson immediately picked up the phone to make the call.

Gibbs crouched down by Tim, "Tim, what happened, where's Tony?" He asked.

"Benoit has him." Tim groaned and fainted.

As the paramedics arrived, Gibbs sent the two CIA agents to secure the scene and he sent Ziva to the hospital with Tim.

---

As Gibbs looked through the evidence in the locker, he was stunned at the many photo's of Tony and Jeanne and how happy they looked together and pictures of Jeanne pregnant with Jain-Luca, Bits and pieces that showed how Tony's life had been for the past five years away from work. It was obvious that Tony had loved Jeanne very much and had kept these things here only because when she had died Tony and Luca had needed to move to a smaller place, but he hadn't been able to part with anything Jeanne had owned or that he had that reminded him of her. This Gibbs understood as he had his own lock up filled with memories of Shannon and Kelly that he could not bear to keep at home and could not part with. He decided as soon as this was over and Tony was safe he would share that part of his life with Tony. He would understand and maybe having this to share would help repair their friendship.

Gibbs was shaken out of his reverie as a phone in his pocket vibrated.

"Gibbs?" He said brusquely

"What are you doing on Tony's phone, Where is he?" Kort demanded.

"We don't know for sure, but we think he traded himself for McGee, Benoit has him." Gibbs said, He heard a curse on the other end of the phone.

"Gibbs, I just got word, Benoit has left the country, and we think he is heading for Benin in Africa."

Gibbs sat heavily on a step. "Thanks, Can you head back to the navy yard, I'm going to need your help." He said sadly.

The ride back was hard Gibbs was completely dejected. He had been too late and now before they could work on a plan to rescue Tony he had to go and tell that sweet son of his that his father was missing. It was the very last thing he wanted to do.

He walked into the break room to find Luca asleep on the sofa, "Duck." He called quietly and motioned him to follow outside.

"Is Tony ok?" Ducky asked.

"I was too late," Gibbs said then shook his head as Ducky's eyes widened with horror.

"No! He's not dead," Gibbs reassured his friend, "Benoit has taken him out of the country, we think to Benin in Africa. I going to ask Kort to come with me to find him, I need to know can you look after Luca?" He asked.

"Luca has his own room at my house; he's stayed before so he will be ok with me." Ducky said, "Although, the last time was when his mother died, I will ask Abby if she will stay with me," He said. Gibbs nodded grateful Luca had somewhere safe to be while he planned to go and rescue the boys' father.

 

Tony woke up in a dusty room.

It was hot and he was sore and thirsty.

He tried sitting up to discover his legs, shackled and his muscles ached. He reached down with his hands to try to loosen the shackles and quickly realized that there was no way he was getting out of them, Rene he realized had sealed him into them, and there was not even a lock for him to attempt to pick.

He took stock of the room he was in. There was a bucket in the corner a pipe with water dripping out and a small cot bed with a dusty blanket.

'Not exactly the Hilton.' He thought with a wry smile.

The large metal door opened and heat and dust followed Rene Benoit as he entered the room.

"Ok, so I guess we're not in Washington anymore?" Tony quipped.

"No. Your team thinks you are dead, so you don't have to worry about this ending anytime soon either."

"Where are we?" Tony asked.

"Benin, Africa. There is no extradition treaty with the US and no one speaks English. Therefore, you are alone. No one is coming for you and one day, I will go back and get my grandson and he will be my heir." Rene boasted.

"You leave him alone!" Tony struggled against the shackles at his legs.

"No he is my grandson and he will be an excellent arms dealer just like me. However, you I will leave alone. But I am not totally evil…here." He said placing a bottle of water at Tony's feet. "Just know as you die, I will be turning your son to a life of crime and you cannot do a thing to prevent it." Benoit smiled, "I may send Roberto back to see you later…he's missed you." He laughed at Tony's shudder as he walked out and slammed the metal door shut with a clang, Tonys' yelling and swearing was cut off with the door closing.

Tonys' head dropped to his chest a tear escaping at the thought that yet again, his son was going to think he was dead and there was no hope of him ever escaping this.

---

Gibbs and Ducky sat down with Luca.

"Hey Boss, where's daddy?" Luca asked.

"Daddy had to go away for a little while. He's asked if you'll stay at Ducky's for a sleepover until he gets back." Gibbs said.

"Daddy isn't with momma is he?" Luca asked his face scrunched up in a frown, tears pricking at his eyes.

Gibbs' heart melted, "No, he's gone abroad for a few weeks, but hopes to be back real soon. Uncle Kort and I are going to help him so he can come home quicker." He told the boy.

He watched as Luca put on a brave face, as quick as some of the masks that his father wears.

"Ok Boss, I'll be brave for daddy and go and stay with Ducky." Luca hugged Gibbs "Can you give daddy a hug for me?" He asked Gibbs.

"Sure Luca." Gibbs promised. He walked over to Ducky, "Luca's all set; Kort and I will be on the first plane out,"

"Bring him home Jethro." Ducky said. Gibbs nodded and walked to the elevator.

The doors opened to see Abby her eyes wet from crying. Gibbs walked up to her and hugged her.

"Abbs?" He asked.

"Timmy's hurt and Tony's missing, Gibbs you have to fix this." She cried.

He squeezed her and then moved her to arms length and waited until she looked at him.

"I've heard from Ziva, Tim will be ok. Kort and I will be off to help Tony in a few hours"

Abby hugged him tighter, "Bring them home to me Gibbs," She said pulling herself together and stepping out of the elevator.

Gibbs kissed her on the temple, "On it Abbs," He smiled at her and walked over to his desk where Kort was standing.

Kort could not help but smile at the exchange between the two. "You ready?" He asked.

"You got the tickets?" Gibbs asked back picking up his bag. He looked up at the balcony and nodded at Vance as he left.

Vance watched the CIA and NCIS Agents leave. He sent a quick, quiet prayer up hoping they would all come home safe.

Kort and Gibbs settled into their flight to Heathrow knowing that after a one day lay-over they would be catching a flight to Cotonou, Benin. They both hated the fact that they had no idea what horrors Tony would be going through while they were travelling. However, each second got them closer to their goal.

---

By Tony's count, he had been there five days.

He was at the point now where he liked being left alone. Roberto was sadistic and he loved nothing more than making Tony scream until he was hoarse.

Tony welcomed being unconscious as it was the only relief from the pain he had. Roberto, the first day had beaten him until he had broken every one of his ribs and then had hung him by his wrists from the ceiling until sobbing he had passed out.

Each day after that he had tried different forms of torture.

Every time Tony opened, his eyes his first thought was that hopefully today would be the day God would let him die.

At least while unconscious he would dream of Jeanne and Jain-Luca, of the happy times they had spent together going on outings and sometimes just of normal evenings where Luca had played with Tony and Jeanne watching just admiring the miracle that was their son.

Again, he opened his eyes and sobbed. "Jeanne…" he name fell from his lips. Just as Roberto's fist connected with his face.

"I told you, you were not to mention her name," The Italian man said, He had dated Jeanne before Tony and Rene had picked him for the task as Roberto also blamed Tony for Jeanne's death. Revenge was a powerful motivator.

Tony coughed up blood and started shaking.

"Please….no more." He begged.

"Rene gave you to me, I intend to make your death worth the agony she went through, she was promised to me and you stole her." The man ranted as he hit Tony repeatedly.

Roberto unhooked Tonys' lifeless body from the ceiling and threw it onto the cot with a satisfying thunk and for good measure spat on him.

"See you tomorrow," He laughed as he left.

Tony lay there even in his unconscious state tears ran from the corners of his eyes.

 

Both Gibbs and Kort took cover behind the car and fired back.

"Shit!" Kort yelled. Realizing Tony was still just sitting in the car.

"Tony!" Kort reached over and pulled him out of the car.

Tony fell to the floor and curled into a ball whimpering. Kort looked at Gibbs, "You take Benoit." He said and turned back to Tony, "It's okay Cuz, its Trent, and you're safe." Tony clung to Trent

Gibbs fired again and Rene crumpled to the ground.

"Get him in the car." Gibbs called to Kort as he went to check Rene.

Kort shut the car door and walked over to Gibbs "Is he dead?" he asked

"Yep, Time to go home." Gibbs said.

They headed straight to the airport where Kort was surprised a navy plane was waiting for them complete with on board medical personnel.

"You did this?" Kort said, stunned at the lengths Gibbs would go to for his cousin.

Gibbs nodded curtly, "Lets get him onboard." He said.

They settled Tony down and the doctors took over. Kort and Gibbs settled into the rear of the plane as it took off.

"You know before you all acted like assholes towards Tony he thought of you all as family." Kort admitted.

Gibbs looked at him.

"After Jenny died and he was sent away as agent afloat he was gutted, you got everyone else back quite quickly but he knew you blamed him for Jenny's death as much as he did." Kort needed to let Gibbs know this now while Tony could not stop him from saying anything. "Then you went off the Mexico and he went through all the hassle of the team not really accepting him as team leader. You came back and he felt he was not good enough. You know you meant more to him than his own father."

Kort waited and watched as Gibbs digested this information. "When you started agreeing with them it broke him. Do you know Luca had meningitis last year? Tony went through five days where he thought his son was going to die; Ducky and I begged him to talk to you. Do you know he thought you would think he was weak not being able to cope by himself? I sat with him as he broke down the first night when he thought his son would die….He called for you!" Kort spat getting angry.

"I…I didn't know." Gibbs said looking over at Tony's unconscious form.

"You know now Gibbs, Don't let him down again!" Kort finished and slumped back in his seat.

Tony stirred, "sorry Boss." He mumbled

"I will make it up to him." Gibbs vowed and then nodded towards the body bag at the rear of the plane. "That's a start." He stated.

---

"Please fasten your safety belts we will be landing at travelers' hill. In five." A voice sounded over the speaker.

Kort raise his eyebrow in surprise, "Ascension Island?"

"Nearest US base, Tony needs basic medical care. We will rest up here and then when the doc says he can travel we will head home." Gibbs said.

An hour later, having been transferred from the RAF base at Travelers hill to the USAF base at Cat's Hill Both Gibbs and Kort were pacing outside a small room that held Tony and a team of doctors.

"Well Doc?" Gibbs asked jumping to his feet as the base doctor exited the room.

"It's a miracle he's alive. I have never, in all my years seen that amount of damage. He has broken wrists, electrical burns, his ribs are broken his ACL was torn. There is internal damage as well. What happened to the poor man?" The doctor asked.

"Kidnapped and tortured by the visitor in your morgue." Kort growled.

"He's on the strongest pain killers we have and is sedated right now. We should be able to Evac him home at the end of the week." The doctor said. "But he will need round the clock medical care when he gets home and more than likely intensive therapy to both his mind and body; does he have a supportive family, someone at home to take care of him?" The doctor asked.

"No." Kort said

"Yes!" Gibbs said at the same time. "We will be there for him Trent, I won't ever let him down again." He vowed.

The doctor gave a small grin and walked away, she knew the man in her sickbay was going to be fine.

---

Gibbs walked outside and opened his satellite phone.

"Ducky, Gibbs….We have him, Benoit is dead, he's hurt bad Duck. We are in the Ascension Island, Let Luca know, his daddy is ok and we will be home in a few weeks," Gibbs said and hung up.

"Wow short and pithy," Kort said handing him a coffee.

"Expensive call besides got the info out. I need to get back to Tony not waste time chatting on the phone." He replied taking the coffee, tasting it and nodding his acceptance.

"I'm going to take Tony and Luca home with me, if that's ok with you?" Gibbs said

"You're asking me!" Kort said incredulously.

"You're his family, I want what is best for him, and you know him better than anyone else." Gibbs said and Kort had to agree with him. "Should we contact his father?" Gibbs asked.

"Not if you want Tony to get better." Kort growled, "You'll call him and I'll shoot you."

"He's never said anything bad about him, although he was out of the country when Tony had the plague." Gibbs said

"No he wasn't," Kort replied icily.

"He wasn't?" Gibbs questioned.

"I visited Tony after hours when he was in the hospital, avoiding you lot, and I told his father; Senior just shrugged said it wasn't important enough to cancel his meeting for and just to call his lawyer if the boy died." Kort told him.

Gibbs got angry, how can someone have a kid like Tony and care so little.

"Thank you for being there with him through that, I came a couple of nights when you stayed all night with him, I've done what I can and I love the boy but he needed something more, Acceptance by an authority figure. You gave him that, you're the nearest thing to a real father he's ever had," Kort admitted to him.

Gibbs and Kort both looked through the viewing window while the nurses got Tony settled into his bed.

Tony started thrashing on the bed. "Boss? Boss….Don't leave I'm sorry." He moaned,

Both men entered the room, "I'm here DiNozzo….Tony, its ok." Gibbs said putting his hand lightly on the other mans forehead.

Tony sighed and relaxed.

 

Tony woke up. It was so bright and white in the room that his first thought was, that he was finally dead. He smiled for a second then a wave of pain washed over him.

"No…...no more please." He croaked

"Tony, you're in hospital at a USAF base in the Ascension Islands." Kort said, "You're safe, Gibbs is here."

"Bossss" Tony drew out the word like a sigh, "I'm sorry boss, 's Tim 'k" he asked.

Gibbs leant forward, "Tim's fine, you saved him. Rene is gone."

"Rob'to?" Tony asked.

"Who?" Gibbs was not sure what he had said.

Tony groaned and slipped back into unconsciousness.

Gibbs and Kort stepped back as a nurse came in and checked him over, She smiled at the two men and left.

Gibbs looked in a mirror and understood why the nurse had looked at them both the way she did. They did not look much better than Tony did. Sure, they were not broken but they were weary and disheveled.

"You wanna take a shower and get cleaned up, I'll stay with Tony and then we can switch." He offered.

Kort nodded, "I'll be back in an hour," He said.

"Take three, get some sleep, then I'll have the same," He knew Kort was exhausted and Tony needed them both back on top form again.

Kort smiled tiredly and grabbed his bag.

Gibbs settled back into the chair beside Tony's bed and hoped he would wake up soon.

He grabbed a pad and pen and started writing a letter to his dad to fill in the time.

---

Exactly three hours later Kort walked in carrying two coffees.

He smiled at the sight of Gibbs asleep with his head resting on Tony's bed and Tonys cast covered arm laid across his bosses back.

Kort gently lifted Tony's arm and then woke Gibbs.

"Coffee." He said.

Gibbs opened one eye grabbed the cup and took a large sip. "Thanks."

"Your turn, I'll see you in three hours." Kort said

Bleary-eyed Gibbs nodded and left.

Kort sipped his coffee and sat in the chair Gibbs had just vacated. He reached down the side of the comfortable chair and pulled out the pad and pen Gibbs had left there. Curiosity got the better of him and he started reading Gibbs' letter to his father.

Feeling guilty at reading the letter he rationalized to himself that this was a way of finding out more about the man, whom his cousin considered family.

By the time, he had finished the letter he was determined to fix things between Gibbs and Tony. He may not totally like the guy per se but, Tony loved him as a son should love a father, and the letter Gibbs had written to his father proved that the feeling was mutual. Kort may have given off the impression he was a soulless bastard but when it came to Tony and now Luca, the reverse was true.

He placed the letter on the nightstand by Tony's bed and settled down for a long three hours.

Tony woke up and saw Kort dozing in the chair next to his bed.

He smiled remembering the nights when he had had the plague and his cousin had snuck in and talked to him so he would not feel alone. Knowing he was there Tony knew he would be ok.

He flashed back to when he had been about fifteen and his father had left him in a hotel in Maui for a second time. He had called Kort in a panic scared to death realizing his father had left him alone and gone to LA.

His father had been gone two weeks and this time would not answer his phone calls. Kort being older and more sensible talked to his cousin for as long as it had taken him to go to the airport, pick up a ticket for the next flight out to Maui. It had been Kort's idea to charge room service and movies to his fathers' card and Tony had admittedly had the best two weeks of his life knowing his father was not there to beat him.

Kort had been the one to stay with him overnight. Sort out the bill in the morning and pay for a flight home for Tony.

He had been livid when on arriving home Senior had laughed cruelly and called Tony a girl for having to call for help. Saying he should have tried working for his passage home on a freighter. "DiNozzo's NEVER ask for help!" Senior said and backhanded the kid.

Kort stepped in the way. "If you hate him that much just disown him, let me have him I'll bring him up!" he had yelled.

Tony's heart had broken at Senior's reply, "Sure I'll disown him, and he's no use to me anyway. Even military school was a waste on him. You can have him."

From that day on fifteen-year-old, Tony had moved into his seventeen-year-old cousin's apartment, Kort had started working two jobs to put them both through school.

---

"Trent…" Tony croaked his throat dry.

Kort's head shot up and he looked at his cousin. "Water?" He asked and passed it over as Tony nodded his head.

"Where am I?" He asked disorientated,

"You're in a USAF Base in the Ascension Islands." Kort told him.

"And you came and got me?" Tony asked not surprised but he looked around for a second wondering where Gibbs was.

Kort watched as he looked, knowing who he was looking for and watched as Tony quickly hid the disappointment from his face.

Tony turned his face away from Kort, He was upset, he had hoped that maybe someone on his team had cared enough about him to come to his rescue, At least he knew no matter what his cousin would have him back.

"He should be here in about five minutes." Kort said

"Who?" Tony asked not daring to hope.

"Gibbs, of course. He wouldn't leave you with Rene, He and I arranged for Ducky to have Luca and then we jumped on the first plane out to find you." Kort told him.

"He…He came?" Tony sounded incredulous

"Of course I came DiNozzo; I'll always have your six." Gibbs growled stepping into the room drinking a coffee.

"Boss!" Tony smiled although with the bruising it was hard to see on his face, it was evident in his eyes.

Then he looked ashamed. "Sorry to be so much trouble Boss."

"Aw Heck DiNozzo, Ya do what ya gotta do for family." Gibbs said.

 

It had taken two weeks to get Tony into a fit enough state that he could travel and continue the journey stateside.

On the arm that had the fracture, they had the cast removed and a splint issued; the other wrist was broken however and needed to stay in a cast. Due to the fact, he could not use crutches he was, placed in a wheelchair, and he had to rely on either Kort or Gibbs to push him around.

Gibbs and Tony had grown closer and Tony although he would probably never trust anyone one hundred percent he was now on a par with the way he trusted Kort. Kort for his part had been glad to stand back and allow the two to find a more comfortable relationship.

"Trent, Have I upset you?" Tony asked his cousin the morning before they were due to fly home.

"No kiddo, why?" Kort asked concerned he was causing his cousin some sort of distress.

"I seem to be spending more time with Gibbs than you, I thought maybe you were avoiding me," he admitted.

Kort sat on the bed next to Tony, "Listen, You work with Gibbs and he's already told you he thinks of you as family, but there's more. He sees you as the son he wishes he'd had." Kort decided to tell him straight.

"Why?" Tony was confused, his own flesh and blood father never wanted him, why would someone who had no blood ties.

Kort put his arm around his cousin. "God, If I could shoot senior I would." He said exasperated.

"Me too!" Gibbs said, making both Kort and Tony jump. "I'll tell you why, you are a remarkable selfless young man, you have become a wonderful person despite your upbringing and if I had been lucky enough to have the perfect son….he would have been you." Gibbs said as Tony stared with his mouth open in shock.

Kort looked at Tony "You are not a worthless person, your father was wrong, you are important to us and most importantly to Jain-Luca."

Tony nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Then he decided he needed to tell Gibbs.

"I always pretended….that you were my father," He said quietly.

Gibb walked across the room in three strides and gathered him in a gentle hug, mindful of his injuries.

"Tony, I wrote to my father, when we get back, if you want I thought maybe you, me and Luca could go to Stillwater and stay with him for a month." Gibbs hoped he had not overstepped the mark and held his breath.

Tony smiled a tired but happy grin. "I'm sure Luca would love to spend some time with his Great grandpa and grandpa?" he said hoping Gibbs would not blow a fuse. But Gibbs' grin got bigger…."Really?" Gibbs asked.

Tony nodded.

"If nothing else this has taught me that you guys are important to me and I can't waste time holding a grudge."

---

Less than 24 hours later, they arrived in Washington.

"Do you want to rest up first?" Kort asked Tony. Tony shook his head, "Can we go to the Navy yard. Ducky said he was taking Luca in to work with him today, I need to see my son, to know he's safe." Tony said.

"I need to check in with CIA headquarters, I'll call you later" Kort said as he got in one car and Tony and Gibbs got in another.

Gibbs nodded at the driver Vance had sent to pick them up and he headed in.

As Gibbs wheeled Tony into the building, the security guards smiled and offered their welcome to him. Just getting to the elevators alone became a mammoth task, as everyone wanted to welcome him back.

Gibbs realized by listening to the people who came up to Tony, just how well liked he was in the building by the general office staff. He was also surprised at how much Tony knew about them. He did not know half of these people and he had worked here twice as long. Tony knew the names of their kids, little personal things about each of them which most other Agents did not take the time to find out.

---

"Marion!" Tony beamed at the woman from HR who got onto the elevator with them.

"Tony, I heard you were coming back today." She smiled

"Yep will be out for another month though," Tony, admitted, "Did Michael get my letter?" he asked, Gibbs' eyebrow shot up inquisitively.

Marion smiled, "Thank you, Yes. Thanks to your letter, he got the place at Georgetown he was hoping for. And the scholarship."

Tony gave what to Gibbs and the team was a rare genuine smile. "I'm glad any more help just call me."

Marion got off at the floor below them.

"How do you know all these people?" Gibbs said in awe of his SFA.

"I took the time," Was all Tony replied. Gibbs was floored, he realized Tony was more open with these people as they had taken him on face value and did not treat him the way the team had and he finally realized that this had been the only reason why he had stayed.

Tony looked up at him. "Yes," He confirmed, "They were the reason I stayed here, not the team. They had my back while they helped me when the others betrayed me."

Gibbs nodded.

Tony grinned again diffusing the tension, "Let's go find your grandson."

---

The door opened and as Gibbs pushed Tony around the corner, he could see the top of his sons head sitting at his desk, the monitor in front of his desk.

"Well, I see we have a new intern, Special Agent DiNozzo?" Tony said.

"DADDY!" Came the delighted squeal of the five year old. Luca ran around the desk and screeched to a Halt. "Daddy?" Luca looked at the man in the chair; it looked like his daddy but seemed to be different.

"Hey kiddo, yeah it's me," Tony held out his good arm and Luca climbed carefully into his dad's lap and cried.

"I missed you daddy, I thought you had gone to momma again." He said. Tony blanched flashing back to the times he had wanted to die and a few stray tears fell.

"I'm back now and I'm not leaving again." He promised.

"Hey Boss, Thank you for bringing my daddy back." Luca said to Gibbs.

"That's ok sport and its Grandpa Boss to you." Gibbs said ignoring the surprised looks from McGee and Ziva.

Luca's smile threatened to split his face, "Really! You're my Grandpa?" He asked looking to his father for confirmation. Tony nodded and Luca jumped into Gibbs' arms.

"Grandpa Boss, Look what I have. He said pulling out his pretend badge but fully legitimate visitor credentials that Vance had had made for him. "Uncle Vance says these mean I can come to work with daddy like a real agent."

"Uncle Vance eh?" Tony smiled.

Tony bit back a grin as he saw McGee take a swig of Coffee. "Eh, dad it looks like my family is getting bigger."

McGee spat his coffee out as Gibbs turned to Tony. "You complaining son?"

"Nope." Tony said trying not to laugh at the look on Tim and Ziva's faces and at Tim trying to get the split coffee off the computer monitor.

Gibbs turned to McGee and Ziva, "You two get the month off or cold cases, your choice, Tony and I will be on leave until he is ready to come back."

Tim and Ziva nodded. "How are you feeling?" Tim asked.

"Awesome, Tim. Luca and I are off the Stillwater for a few weeks, when I get back maybe the whole team can meet up." Tony offered

Tim and Ziva smiled, "That would be great." Ziva said.

 

Gibbs' truck pulled up around the front of his house and Luca and Tony started putting their luggage and supplies in for a trip to Stillwater.

"Why are we taking the truck?" Tony asked Gibbs, He liked it but would have preferred to go in his car.

"Got some things to bring back with me." Gibbs replied.

"Grandpa Boss, I got your bag," Luca said struggling with a kit bag that was about the same size as him. Taking two steps and dropping the bag, then with a determined look on his face he did two more steps and stopped. He repeated this maneuver until he was level with the car.

Only then did he look up to see his father sitting in his wheelchair and grandfather leaning against the truck looking at him with identical grins on their faces.

"Ya did great kid, I got it from here. Can you grab the cooler?" Gibbs asked.

"On it Boss!" Luca got up and ran inside as Gibbs fell about laughing.

"Wow, He's definitely a little DiNozzo." He said smiling at his SFA.

Tony smiled back, "Yeah, are you sure I can't do anything." He asked, even though he was still in a wheelchair he felt like he should help.

"Just let me know when Luca comes to the top of the steps or that cooler will end up everywhere." Gibbs said.

"Sure Boss." Tony smiled.

---

An hour later, all packed up, they were on the road. Luca was in his car seat in between Gibbs and Tony and had already dozed off, the sound of the engine lulling him to sleep. Very soon, Tony joined him.

When he woke up Tony was surprised to realize they were outside Jacksons' shop.

"We here already?" He yawned.

"Yeah Son, Your pain killers knocked you out. Come on we'll get you in your chair and then unstrap Luca." Gibb said patiently helping Tony into the wheelchair.

Jackson saw his son's truck outside the store and came out to help.

"Hey Leroy, Tony!" Jackson said smiling.

"Dad." Gibbs said giving his father a hug.

Jackson looked at Tony, "Leroy said you'd been hurt, I hope you're looking forward to staying for a few weeks, you can stay till you're better if you want." Jackson offered.

Tony sat in the store talking to Jackson about the other team members as Luca and Gibbs came in.

"Grandpa Boss, Can I have some candy?" Luca asked.

"NO!" Tony called and Jackson looked around him at the five-year-old boy.

"Hello there?" Jackson looked confused.

"Er….Surprise!" Gibbs said, "Dad this is Jain-Luca, Tony's son."

Luca tugged on Gibbs' trouser leg, "Please, Grandpa Boss, just one piece."

"Grandpa Boss?" Jackson asked with a grin.

"He picked it." Gibbs shrugged.

Jackson grabbed a candy bar, "Here you go young man," he said.

"Thank you Grandpa Jack." Luca said and hugged the older man.

Jackson looked at Tony who nodded. "We figured he could use some time with family." He explained.

"Thank you…." Jackson said with a lump in his throat.

---

Later that evening Jackson took Luca up to bed, after saying goodnight to everyone and Gibbs sat on the porch with Tony next to him in the wheelchair.

"Thanks for this Boss," Tony said. "Luca's loving this… having a bigger family."

Gibbs smiled, "I know you couldn't let him know bout Jeanne's father, but after she died, did you call your father."

Tony looked away, "I called him when Luca was born, He didn't want to know, he said he wouldn't have another screw up trying to get at his money and that if I insisted on being a father to a kid that probably wasn't mine I could consider our relationship over…..No brainer that one Boss." Tony replied wistfully.

"So…When she died, you were actually all alone through that?" He asked.

Tony shook his head, "I had Trent, I've always had Trent, and He's had my back since I was a kid."

"Ya know I've had to reevaluate my opinion of him," Gibbs admitted.

"Good, the only reason he stayed with Rene was to keep Luca safe," Tony looked up as a meteor shot across the sky, he gave a small smile thinking about Jeanne.

"Dad wants to take us all fishing tomorrow," Gibbs said.

"Luca will like that. This is his first holiday you know." Tony told him.

"Really!" Gibbs was surprised.

"Yeah, we couldn't go when he was little because of Jeanne's schedule and then I couldn't get the time off, I could hardly come and say 'Boss I wanna take my secret son on holiday' now could I?" Tony laughed.

"Well we had better make it special for him then," Gibbs decided.

"Just having Grandparents is special enough, letting him into your family like that made his year." Tony said.

"Let ya both in Tony, You are family." Gibbs smiled.

"Thanks Dad." Tony grinned back. He took a swig of his soda.

For the first time since Gibbs and Kort had rescued him, Tony finally relaxed. He was with family, Rene was dead and he was safe…

---

A dark Chevy rolled into town and pulled up outside a motel.

A man got out and walked into the office. "Need a room?" The manager asked politely.

"Yes, for a week, I will pay cash." The man with the thick Italian accent said.

Bob Miller handed over the key.

"You need to sign the register," He said and looked at the man's signature.

"Thank you Mr. DiNozzo." He said and handed over the key.

The man smiled and went into his room.

The manager looked at the name after the man left.

"Lucy, Isn't DiNozzo, the name of the young man and his son staying at Jackson Gibbs' place?" He called to his wife.

"Yeah, I think so Bob." Said Mrs. Miller.

Bob looked at the register and made a call, "Jackson, it's Bob at the Motel. Yeah we are fine thanks… That Grandson and Great Grandson of yours, Is there name DiNozzo…..yeah? It's ok I was asking because we just had a Tony DiNozzo check in here, Figured it may be his brother or something, thought you'd want to know." Miller smiled "Sure, I'll be over later." Bob laughed Jackson had been a good friend for years and he enjoyed his company.

---

The next morning Ed Gantry walked into the Motel and put two of his deputies outside.

The bodies of Lucy and Bob Miller were at his feet as the local Coroner examined them, "Well Ed, It looks like they were shot late last night, Two professional shots to the head."

Ed used his pen and carefully opened the register to look for the name of the last person possibly to see them alive.

He looked down the register and one name caught his eye, Tony DiNozzo.

"Shit!" He said, "Mike!" He yelled to his deputy.

"Yes Sir," Mike said entering the room.

"Come with me, we gotta pay a visit to Jackson Gibbs' house." Ed grumbled, this day was getting worse and worse, the last thing he needed was to tangle with Leroy, but if his boy did this, then he was going down.

 

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!"

 

Two cars skidded to a halt outside Jackson's general store.

Gibbs' gut lurched, he knew his father and grandson had said they would be there yet the blind on the store door was down and the sign was set to closed.

Tony noticed it too and started hobbling for the door; he tried to wrench himself away as Gibbs grabbed him.

"I wanna be in there as much as you do; it won't do them any good if we get killed." Gibbs tried reasoning with Tony.

"Tell me about this guy?" Ed asked.

"He's a hit man and a torturer. He has no conscience and does not care who he hurts….oh and he HATES me. Rene told him he could marry Jeanne, my wife." He explained to Ed, "When she died he blamed me. Even though HE set the car bomb that killed her." Tony said "We need to get in there, I don't think he'd hurt Luca, he's still Jeanne's son, But Jackson….I don't know…God! Dad! If Jackson has to go through even half of what I did…..It'll kill him!" Tony turned to Gibbs and was visibly shaking and distraught.

Gibbs moved and stood behind him and put two hands on his shoulders.

"Take a breath Tony, we will get him." He said sounding more confident than he felt.

---

"We've cordoned off Main Street and we have a guy who had line of sight into the store. Both your boy and Jackson are alive and so far ok. FBI are sending negotiators, you have a problem with us following protocol Jethro?" Ed asked.

"Nope, anything from Roberto?" He asked as he grabbed his cell phone out of his pocket.

"Nothing yet." Ed said.

Gibbs nodded and hit the speed dial on his phone. "Tobias….Got a hostage situation at my dad's store, I need you here." He said and hung up.

"Fornell coming?" Tony asked.

"Already on his way, he was invited down for the weekend he'll be here in twenty minutes." Gibbs told him.

Tony relaxed as Ed turned to Gibbs…."Who's Fornell?" He asked,

"FBI, a good friend and experienced hostage negotiator," Gibbs said.

"We are setting up a command post at the diner, you can see straight into Jack's store from there." Ed said as they walked down to the diner.

Tony grabbed some binoculars from a deputy, "I can see them Boss, and they look ok."

---

Roberto was walking around the store Jackson was tied up on a chair and Luca was sitting at a table eating a sandwich.

"Your boy looks ok. The suspect has been giving him food and drink and he was coloring earlier." The deputy said.

"Did Jack install any security cameras?" Tony asked.

"Don't think so, but he has a laptop on the counter. McGee set him up with it." Gibbs said. He pulled out his phone again. "McGee can you access my dad's laptop and link it to…." He looked around "Another one remotely?"

"Sure boss," Tony heard McGee's voice, "I'll need Tony's help." Gibbs passed Tony the phone.

"Hey probie," Tony said.

"Right Tony, You need to tell me the IP address of the laptop you're using. I already know Jacks' I set it up for him." Tim said.

Tony accessed the information as Tim showed him and within minutes, they had eyes and ears inside the store.

Tony's hands balled into fists as he saw tears running down his sons face.

"Why can't Grandpa Jack sit with me mister?" Luca asked.

"It's to keep him safe until Tony gets here." Roberto growled, "Now eat your sandwich."

"Are you going to hurt me and Grandpa Jack when Grandpa Boss and Daddy get here?" Luca asked.

"Not you, you will live with me and be my son. Just like your Grandpa Rene wanted." Roberto said.

"But I have a daddy and he's the best daddy!" Luca protested and Tony's heart swelled with pride.

"No! You will call me Daddy." Roberto told Luca.

Luca stood up defiantly "NO!" he said stamping his feet.

Roberto raised his fist to the boy and Tony all but bolted out of the diner. "SIT DOWN!" Roberto shouted and Luca sat in the chair.

Gibbs looked at Tony "Your boy has a temper?" He had never seen the child that defiant.

"Italian father and French mother….what did ya expect." Tony said.

---

"Hey, you wanna fill me in on what's going on" Fornell said showing his badge to one of Ed's deputies and entering the Diner.

Gibbs took him off to one side and filled him in.

"So, anyone called him yet?" Fornell asked.

"Been waiting on you." Ed said and handed him the phone. "Speed dial 1." He told him.

Fornell picked up the phone and waited as it rang.

"Yeah." Roberto said as he picked up the phone.

"It's the FBI; you wanna talk about what's going on son." Fornell said.

"You have Tony DiNozzo out there; I will swap him for the old man." Roberto stated.

"OK, Why do you want him?" Fornell said trying to get a feel for the man.

"He owes me. Now send him over," Roberto said and hung up.

Fornell turned to Gibbs "We can't send Tony over to him. Any chance of you taking him out?" He asked.

Gibbs snorted, "Got a rifle?" He looked at Ed who nodded

"One of my deputies is set up on the roof across the way, he's not sure he can get a clear shot."

"Your deputy a sniper Ed?" Gibbs asked.

"No, was going to call up SWAT though." Ed admitted.

"No need," Gibbs said and grabbed a rifle bag from the table.

"Jethro, if you miss you'll shoot your dad; I know you were a marine…."

"Still am, no such thing as a former marine, I'm a sniper too, I only hit what I aim at," Gibbs said and turned to leave.

"Where's Tony?" Gibbs asked and he looked across the road, "Shit!"

---

While the older men were discussing what to do, Tony realized the quickest way to end this was to give himself to Roberto, hopefully Luca would be allowed to leave with Jack. The way Tony figured it, even if he did not make it out alive, Luca would be well looked after by his grandpa's and Gibbs would hopefully shoot Roberto before he hurt anyone else.

Gibbs ran to the door of the Diner "TONY!" He yelled Ed and Fornell holding him back.

Tony looked towards Gibbs and smiled then he entered the store.

The others rushed to the computer.

"DiNozzo?!" Roberto said surprised,

"Let them go, please." Tony said his voice sounding shaky as he faced the only man to give him nightmares for a long time.

"I gave my word, I will let the old man go," Roberto started to say and untied the older man.

"Tony, No…you don't need to do this," Jackson pleaded.

Tony knelt down by his son and hugged him "When I say now, I want you to go with Grandpa Jack and find Grandpa Boss, Can you tell him I'm sorry?" Tony asked his son.

Luca nodded determinedly and Tony stood up, "Go Jack." He said.

Jackson nodded and walked towards the door looking back at the defeated look on Tony's face.

"NOW" Tony yelled and as Luca ran for Jack and the door, Tony rushed at Roberto.

Roberto smashed his fist into Tony's face and Tony went down with a crack.

By the time Roberto managed to get back to his feet, Both Jackson and Luca were halfway across the road heading towards the diner.

Roberto shrugged as he looked at Tony "It doesn't matter, I will have my revenge on you and then I will go for the boy."

"You won't live that long." Tony said with confidence.

Roberto threw his head back and laughed.

 

Roberto kicked Tony in the face, after a coughing fit Tony looked up at him; He knew he just had to move, to get into the right position.

"I will finish you this time, no more playing games. I will fulfill Rene's last wish and bring your son up as my own." Roberto taunted him.

"Bastard," Tony spat, crawling away from Roberto's boot a second time.

"It is a pity I cannot keep you alive, you were a most enjoyable toy to play with," Roberto taunted. Tony flinched as he remembered that everyone in the diner could hear them and he prayed Jackson had his son safely somewhere else.

Fornell watched in horror as Tony endured the beating and slowly crawled around the room.

Suddenly it hit him what Tony was doing. "Good Boy DiNutso!" he cried. The others looked at him as if he were mad.

"What?" Ed asked

"Can't you see he's figured out that Gibbs will have his back and he's obviously guessed where he'll be and is moving Roberto so he can be in the right position for Gibbs to take him out!" Fornell said smiling.

"Tony obviously knows to protect his son and Gibbs and Jackson, Roberto has to be taken out and with his injuries he can't do that. But how does he know that Gibbs will be up there with the rifle?" Ed asked.

"They are partners and have been for years." Fornell explained, "They're family. They can read each other."

Ed watched the drama in the store unfold wishing his department worked as a unit the same way Leroy and his boy did.

Tony started coughing up blood but had his eyes fixed on a certain point on the floor. If he could just get Roberto to stand there, he knew Gibbs would have his back and it would all be over.

The small nagging voice from his days as a child ventured out. "What if he isn't there for you…..you're not worth it…too much trouble…." It said.

"SHUT UP!" Tony growled out.

"Don't talk to me like that!" Roberto said and kicked him in the stomach.

Tony let out an involuntary sob and crawled the last few inches.

"Time to die now." Roberto sneered and pulled out a gun and aimed.

---

Tony closed his eyes thinking about his son and Jeanne when he heard the gun shot and felt warm rain.

"Oh?" He said, 'it rains in heaven….'

He thought about opening his eyes and then realized he could not, he was still in pain. 'Maybe Roberto missed?' he thought unconsciously pulling himself into a ball.

He heard a bell and movement and he braced himself for the next attack.

"Tony?" said a voice and something touched his shoulder.

Tony whimpered and tried backing away but found he was in the corner already.

"Tony….it's Fornell…its over." He said hoping Tony could hear him.

"….they….safe?" Tony mumbled and spat out more blood.

"Everyone's safe, your son is ok….how are you doing?" Fornell asked concerned, but knowing a paramedic was already on the way.

"…'m fine…" Tony managed to get out before he fainted.

---

At the hospital, Gibbs and Jackson sat in the waiting room as Kort walked in holding Luca.

"Still feel bad I didn't make it in time for him dad." Gibbs was saying to his father.

"Leroy, you were on your way, if you hadn't stopped to help us you would have been in time to take the shot." Jackson said.

"Damn lucky Kort was there though." Gibbs said acknowledging the man as he sat down and put the sleepy five year old in his great grandpa's lap.

"Weren't lucky, I just figured he hadn't been accounted for so I went looking, I am sorry I could not save the couple at the motel though." Kort admitted.

"You aren't to blame for that." Jackson said.

"Coffee," Fornell said walking into the waiting room as all the adults turned to him. "Any word on DiNutso yet?" He asked.

"Still in a coma, they are doing some more tests." Gibbs said.

---

It had been 3 days since the incident in town. The store was boarded up and closed. Gibbs and Kort had been sitting in vigil at Tony's bedside while Fornell and Jackson looked after Luca and brought him to the hospital a few hours a day to sit with his dad.

The doctor walked out of Tony's room and over to the group of men.

"Well everything is looking good, we have taken him off the pain meds and hopefully he should wake up tomorrow, his body is still healing so he should sleep for the rest of this evening. I suggest you all go home and come back in the morning." The doctor said.

Jackson and Fornell gathered up Luca and left. Kort and Gibbs stayed behind as the Doc walked past again.

"Aren't you two leaving as well?" he asked.

"Tony hates hospitals. We'll be here in case he wakes up." Gibbs said.

The Doc nodded his understanding, "OK, in that case let me show you where we keep the 'real' coffee." He said

The next morning Jackson and Fornell arrived with Luca, Gibbs and Fornell were already waiting for Tony to wake up, He had had a few nightmares but still had not been able to pull himself out of them.

"Tony…come on son, come back to us, it's safe now." Gibbs said.

"Let Luca try?" Jackson said.

Gibbs was skeptical but called him over. "Ok kiddo, It's time to wake daddy up can you do that for me?"

"On it boss!" Luca grinned at the fact he was allowed to wake his dad up and walked over to him, he pulled a chair up to the bed and climbed up.

---

"Daddy…..Daddy!" Luca called.

He woke up to a small hand touching his face.

"Daddy…Daddy, Grandpa Boss said you have to wake up."

Tony opened his eyes. "Luca?"

"DADDY!" Luca screamed and hugged his dad.

"Careful there," Gibbs said

"Where am I?" Tony said looking around.

"Hospital, Tony." Kort said.

Tony did his usual mental checklist for injuries he was relived to find not as much hurt as expected.

"How….long?" He asked his throat sore,

Gibbs passed him some ice chips "Three days." He said.

Tony closed his eyes, Three days and he had not had their backs, what if…!

Despite the intense pain, it caused him he shot upright "Roberto!", he exclaimed.

"It's ok, He's dead." Gibbs said.

"Knew you'd have my back boss," Tony said laying back.

Gibbs smiled "Not me Tony, Didn't make it in time." He admitted.

"Who?" Tony asked.

"Kort." Gibbs told him.

"Thanks Cuz," Tony said and fell asleep.

 

Tony slept fitfully dreaming of his time in Benin, the faces of Rene and Roberto haunted his dreams in them he screamed….

Gibbs sitting beside his son, jumped every time Tony screamed in his sleep. He knew Tony had not told him everything that had happened while he had been captured. Nevertheless, he needed Tony to know he was not going to let him down.

"Shh! its ok son I'm here." Gibbs said stroking Tony's head so he would sleep, Tony groaned and relaxed for a while more.

The Doc put his head around the corner, "How's he sleeping Leroy?" Doc asked.

"Not too good Doc, Nightmares from Africa I think." Gibbs admitted.

Doc sat on a chair next to Gibbs, "Leroy, you need to rest too, go home let one of your friends sit with Tony, spend some time with that grandson of yours," he suggested.

"I let him down once Doc, I ain't gonna do it again." Gibbs growled.

Doc nodded. "You were always a stubborn child." He mused. He checked Tony's charts and walked off only to come back five minutes later with a pillow, blanket and a decent coffee.

"There now at least rest." The Doc ordered.

Gibbs gave a half smile, thanked the man, and took a big drink of the coffee. "Hey Doc, I think I thanked you too soon!" he grinned and dropped the coffee in the trashcan.

The doc laughed and left.

Gibbs settled down within arms reach of Tony and within moments fell asleep.

A nurse walking by looked in on them and then walked up to the Doc. "Adam! Did you drug Leroy Gibbs?" she admonished him

"Yep!" The doctor grinned, "He'll get at least two hours sleep."

---

Gibbs awoke to Jacksons' hand on his shoulder.

"Morning son, how is he?" Jackson asked motioning to Tonys' sleeping form.

Gibbs rubbed his eyes, in that motion Jackson saw for a moment his son as a five year old and smiled.

"He's good Dad, we both slept last night, he had some nightmares, I think he may need some help to get over this, but it may take some time." He said. Then he looked around, "Where's Luca?" he asked

"Kort and Fornell have taken him out for the day, to a zoo." Jackson said.

"Ummm…He'll like that." Tony said quietly.

Both Jackson and Gibbs turned to him, "Hey, Good morning." Both men said.

"If that's a jinx you both owe me a beer." Tony quipped.

"It's a soda." Jackson told him.

"Yeah, but I'd prefer a beer." Tony replied.

"Good morning, Mr. DiNozzo." The Doc said.

"Hey Doc," Tony said.

"And how are we feeling this morning?" Doc asked.

"Dunno about you Doc, but I'm fine." Tony said trying to lift himself up and wincing as pain shot through his ribs.

"DiNozzo?" Gibbs glared at him

For a second Tony's mask slipped and he let his anger show through, "I hurt like someone kicked the shit outta me." He took a breath, "Sorry Doc." He said ashamed for letting his guard down like that.

"No…No that's fine, I will change the dosage on your pain medication and I have arranged for a psychiatrist to come and talk to you this afternoon, you have been through a lot Mr. DiNozzo and need to talk about it." Doc told him gently.

Tony bristled with anger, 'what the hell is going on with me?' he thought. "I don't need a bloody psychiatrist!" He yelled trying to get out of the bed.

"Tony?" Gibbs said trying to calm him down.

"NO ONE IS POKING THROUGH MY HEAD…..MY SECRETS WILL STAY SECRET!" He yelled pushing against Gibbs.

The Doc quickly injected Tony with a sedative and Gibbs and Jackson laid him back down on the bed.

Tony laid there, tears he could not hold back flowing freely down the sides of his head.

He turned his face away and refused to talk to anyone.

---

Gibb looked at his dad and the Doc and they both gave him the room so he could talk to Tony.

"Why won't you let them help you son."

"I can't talk about any of it…not Africa, not Jeanne not my…" Tony clammed up.

"Please Gibbs, don't let them make Me.," he begged.

"I can't dwell on the past; it's gone, done, never existed. I need to live now for Luca, I need to get out of here. I need to go home." Tony cried, knowing the pain relievers were more responsible for his mouth now than he was.

"It's a part of you Tony, you need to understand it to move forward, you don't have to do this alone, and Kort and I both have your six." Gibbs said.

---

Tony sat and before he knew it, he was telling everything to Gibbs. He told him about his abusive childhood and how, Kort had saved him.

He told him about how Jenny had ordered him to sleep with Jeanne and how against his judgment he had fallen for her because more than anything he just wanted to be loved and had someone love him back.

Then the hardest thing he told Gibbs about Roberto and everything he had done to him in Africa. How he had wanted to die and had seen Jeanne's ghost.

The last thing he told him was how more than anything he wished that Gibbs really were his father. How he would have been a better person with him as a parent, how he wished if anything happened to him that Gibbs would raise Luca and he was sorry he had not been worthy to be a better son for his father. He cried himself to sleep asking Gibbs repeatedly what he had done to be such a bad son that his father wanted no part of him.

Four hours later after Tony had cried himself to sleep. A very shaken Gibbs had left the room to find Jackson and the Doc outside on a couple of chairs.

"I don't think he needs to see a psychiatrist Doc, I think he just got it all out." Gibbs said.

"We heard." Doc said simply. "I will let him go home tomorrow, but I will need to give him some anti depressants and he will need watching for a month while they take effect."

"I'll watch him doc." Gibbs promised. "Do you think he'll be ok?" he asked worried.

"I think from what I've heard that poor boy has been through more than anyone ever should. With you and your family helping him Leroy, eventually he'll be fine, it's going to be rocky but he'll get there." The doc reassured him.

 

As the car pulled up outside Jackson Gibbs' home, a small face pressed itself against the window.

"Grandpa Jack!" Luca jumped off the window seat and ran to the kitchen "Grandpa Boss and Daddy are back." He said jumping up and down with excitement.

Jack put his paper down and followed the boy to the door.

Luca ran down the porch steps and hugged Gibbs, "Grandpa Boss, you brought my daddy home." Luca said smiling happily.

Gibbs knelt down. "Luca, Daddy's tired and sore so be careful ok."

Luca looked at Gibbs with the most serious face he could. "Don't worry Grandpa Boss, I've got his six," he reached up with both hands and carefully opened the car door. "It's ok Daddy, I've got you." Luca said he gently gave Tony a hug and grabbed his bag. However, Tony took it off him, "I've got it son." He said quietly and held out his hand.

The two of them walked inside as Gibbs and his dad watched.

"What was that all about?" Jackson asked he was concerned at Tony's quiet demeanor.

"Tony told me some stuff while we were in hospital, his dad used to make him carry his bags like a bell hop, he hated it and he doesn't want his son to feel like that about him." Gibbs said, although he was not going to break the confidence Tony had shown in him. "He's been through a lot Dad; I'm gonna be by his side while he works this out."

Jackson nodded "We're family; we will all be there for him. Come on I have some steaks on the barbeque for us, Fornell and Kort are out back, and they've been putting up a jungle gym for Luca." He said smiling

They joined the others out the back, "Hey dad," Tony called to Gibbs, "Look at this, we need photo's" He laughed watching Kort and Fornell try and put the pieces of the Jungle Gym together.

---

"What... you can take down an international spy ring but you can't work a wrench!" Fornell said to Kort as he dropped the wrench for the third time.

"I'm telling ya Toby, It don't go there!" Kort growled but with a slight grin.

"Hey guy's, calm down, Dad's here. You will fix it won't you?" Tony asked Gibbs.

"'s my job son, I always fix what needs it." He smiled as Tony relaxed and sat in a chair watching them.

Fornell and Kort shared a look, "Dad?" Fornell asked.

Gibbs gave him a look, "Ya got a problem with that?" He dared him.

"'Bout bloody time." Kort said.

Half an hour later they had the Jungle Gym all set up and Luca came running off the porch with a piece of paper in his hands.

"Grandpa Boss, I did a picture." He held it out to him. Gibbs took it and started laughing.

"What?" Tony asked as Gibbs showed him the picture and he laughed too.

The picture was of Fornell and Kort as stick figures but Kort had a wrench in his hand and Fornell was holding a stick, and it was drawn on the assembly instructions for the toy.

"No wonder we couldn't find them." Kort laughed.

---

Jackson served up the steaks and before long Luca was falling asleep on his dad's lap.

"So I hear you guys are staying a bit longer." Jackson said.

"Yeah dad, I promised Tony 2 week's holiday, as a family, Vance has given me the extra time off and Tony's still signed off sick. The doc says he'll sign him fit to work after that."

"That's ok isn't it, Jack?" Tony asked with a hint of trepidation.

"Tony, of course it is, you and Luca will always have a place here, and if you're calling my son dad, I think it's about time you started calling me Grandpa." Jack said.

Tony gave a genuine smile, one of those that Gibbs very rarely saw. "I…I'd like that, sorry, I'm gonna put Luca to bed," He said and carried his son to his room.

"Did I say something wrong?" Jack asked concerned.

Kort shook his head, "For the first time in that kids life you two are doing something right, you've made him a part of a real family. It has always been his dream. I mean I tried and I am blood related, but I was just a kid when I took him on. He needed a father. Thank you; you've both done that boy wonders." He said in a rare heartfelt moment.

---

The two week passed in a blur.

Tony and Luca went fishing with Jack and spent time both separately and together with Gibbs.

During those two weeks, they went to a fair and while walking around a man took their picture, Gibbs brought the photo and took it back with them.

One evening after Kort and Fornell had both left, Fornell for D.C., Kort for who knows where, Gibbs gave Tony a wrapped gift.

"What's this?" Tony asked.

"Something you needed." Gibbs said cryptically.

Tony opened it and started crying.

"It wasn't meant to upset you son." Gibbs said worried that all the good work, the progress they had done had be ruined.

"I'm not upset, it's just… How did you know that this was all I ever wanted?"

"I'm ya dad, it's my job." Gibbs smiled as Tony hugged him.

"Thanks Dad." Tony held the photography in the brown wooden frame that said, 'my family' and held the photo of Tony walking with Luca. Who could just be seen over a huge cotton candy with Gibbs and Jackson looking on at them both fondly.

"You know son, I think you're gonna be ok." Gibbs said as Tony sat back in the chair and smiled, all masks gone.