The MultiFandom MPREG Archive

Chapter 5

While Tony slept Gibbs again called Ziva. His earlier calls ensured that McGee was with Abby and he wanted to leave them alone but he needed some backup, not to mention groceries. Ziva fit that bill nicely. She didn’t need to know all of the details of Tony’s condition unless Tony wanted to tell her. In the meantime, though, she’d be invaluable should push come to shove. He paused a bit before making the next call. Tony probably wouldn’t appreciate more people knowing about this but Gibbs knew he’d need backup if he was going to take DiNozzo and Constantino down. Besides, with Tony’s resignation on the books it was more of an FBI case than an NCIS one. Fortunately Fornell was one of the few people that Gibbs could trust to help him with this. Gibbs surveyed the area around his house once more and, satisfied that nothing was different, went back upstairs to check on Tony and Ducky. Tony was sound asleep so Gibbs waved Ducky into the hallway.

“I appreciate you staying here, Ducky, but you probably need to be with your mother, don’t you?”

Gibbs wanted to be alone for a bit to process Tony’s words, but then he knew if he was that he wouldn’t be able to stay away from his bottle. He really couldn’t blame Tony but his words had hit him hard.

“Well, Jethro, I decided to call in a favor from an old friend. He’s staying with Mother until our business here is done. She’s rather taken with him despite the fact that she can’t seem to recall his name. All she knows is that he is Italian so therefore he must be the same gigolo who stayed with her before.”

“Gigolo?”

“Yes. That was Tony, you see. I’m afraid my Mother suffers from the belief that all Italians are gigolos. Fortunately, in this case, she is unable to tell one from another. She thinks Marco is Tony so she is quite content at the moment.”

Gibbs chuckled at that and wondered, just briefly, how Ducky came to know Marco and then dropped that line of thought. Sometimes it just didn’t pay to delve too deeply into his friend’s past. With a last glance at Tony both Gibbs and Ducky moved downstairs.

“Jethro, I know you and I know you’re in the midst of plans. Plans not only to take care of Tony but to mete out justice to the animals to whom poor Tony is most unfortunately genetically linked. I do have some contacts that could assist you in your endeavors should you decide you require it.”

Jethro smiled at his long-time friend. “Thanks, Ducky, I’ll keep it in mind but just so you know, I called Fornell.”

“Ah, of course,” Ducky smiled knowing what a formidable team the FBI agent and Jethro made. Without a doubt there were already some plans in motion.

They walked into the kitchen and Gibbs pulled some steaks out of the freezer and then decided against them. There was no way Tony could eat them so instead grabbed some chicken and decided to make some soup. His own eating habits were pretty dismal if you listened to Ducky, but he knew Tony needed to eat well, especially right now. Ziva had picked up a good assortment of vegetables while at the store and Gibbs figured it would be alright if he cooked them real soft and threw them into the blender. Gibbs scanned his back yard again while he chopped vegetables. Ziva had dropped off the groceries and was again out there keeping watch, but it was something he did out of habit anyway. Ducky was again having some tea and Gibbs knew he was watching him quietly but he was sure Duck wouldn’t be quiet for long.

“What do you know of Tony’s father, Jethro?”

“I know he’s a compete bastard that deserves to be shot among other things.” Gibbs had a sudden wish that it was DiNozzo Senior’s throat under his knife instead of a poor defenseless carrot. There was a bit more he knew about Tony’s past, but it wasn’t his place to tell. “He’s hurt Tony in so many ways. And now there’s Constantino.” Gibbs stopped speaking for a moment until he could again get his rage under control. He took a deep breath before continuing. “Hopefully Tony will be able to tell us more soon. Will you stay when I talk to him again? I need him to tell me everything he can but he’s right on the edge.”

“Of course I will, Jethro. I can give him a little something to keep him calm without putting him to sleep although the poor boy does need his rest.”

Nodding his head Gibbs dropped the last of the veggies into the pot and watched them come to a boil before he dropped the temperature and covered them. They made their way back upstairs.

Tony always looked so beautiful while he slept. Watching him had been a favorite pastime of Gibbs. He would never have believed it possible but Tony was even more beautiful now. Although still strained by exhaustion and poor nourishment, Tony’s face had softened with the pregnancy. Gibbs suddenly had the desperate wish that it was his baby making him look like that and the thought shocked him. He never thought he wanted to be a father again, kind of thought it was a betrayal to Kelly somehow, but seeing Tony like this brought all those feelings back to fore. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t the biological father of Tony’s baby. He decided then and there that he’d be the father that counted whether or not Tony let him back into his bed. But for damn sure he’d do everything in his power to protect them.

Deciding that Tony was fine for now, Gibbs and Ducky again left him alone. Once they were gone Tony lifted his head. He’d heard Gibbs talking earlier about Ziva and he knew she’d be a hard one to get around, but he wasn’t without resources and the greatest thing in his favor was the he knew his partners. Ziva would be watching from down the street where she had the best view of the front, left and back. Gibbs would be watching from the kitchen so he’d have a view of the back and right sides of the house. Tony moved to the hallway. He just needed a diversion and to get to the bedroom at the rear right of the house, the room that used to belong to Gibbs’ daughter. He was pretty sure that he could make it out of the bedroom window to the tree. He laughed to himself. He would be a really pretty sight, belly hanging out as he shimmied down the tree. That is if he could still shimmy. Still, it was his only chance. Ziva would be watching for someone breaking in, not someone breaking out. And he had to go. There was no way he was going to continue to risk everyone by staying. He picked up the phone in Gibbs bedroom and started dialing.

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Michael quietly entered the room and walked over to the bar to pour two drinks. His father sat quietly at his desk, staring out of the window. Without a word Michael placed the drink next to him and turned to look out of the window and waited for his father to speak.

“It’s done?”

“Yes. Everything is in place. Constantino won’t know about his men until the deal goes down.”

“What about Turelo?” DiNozzo Sr asked. Turelo was a key player in Constantino’s gang. DiNozzo smirked as he considered the “gang”. He wouldn’t deign to call that motley group a family or even an organization. Yes, they were strong and cunning, vicious in a way that DiNozzo somewhat admired, but they had no class and no loyalty. Constantino had screwed with an associate of DiNozzo’s to get where he was as well as using some good street smarts. But he didn’t have what it took to carry him all the way. And he knew it. That was why he had tried to buy his way into the DiNozzo circle. But little did the bastard upstart know that DiNozzo was fully aware of who was behind that latest shipment of guns that had gone astray. And then he had the gall to come to DiNozzo claiming that wasn’t it just lucky he happened to be able to help DiNozzo out by fulfilling the contract. Just lucky indeed. That bastard was going to learn about messing with the Family. DiNozzo took another sip of his drink.

“He was greedy but amenable. Constantino’s men will follow him when the time is right. And when it’s over Turelo and his boys will get a little surprise of their own.”

DiNozzo looked at his son and heir with a slight smile. He knew what was coming and he was proud of his boy. It’s what he would have done. Who needed a man whose loyalty could be bought so easily? He had enough men of his own and he didn’t want to bring in any unknown variables.

Michael saw his father’s smile and felt a rush of satisfaction. He and his father thought a lot alike, not like Anthony, that little bastard. He felt the same disgust his father did when he thought of him. The brat had always hung around him when he was little, trying to get his attention when he wasn’t trying to get Michael’s father’s attention. God, he’d never been so happy as when the kid had figured out his life was a lot better, and less painful, when he just stayed in his room and watched TV. But now, finally, the kid was going to be of some use. And he was really looking forward to seeing Anthony’s face when his father finally told him the truth. Now that will be satisfying. And now one more little tidbit which should really get his father worked up. There were times when that was just so much fun.

“Constantino asked me when I thought you would be introducing him to the rest of the Family. He was even wondering if I could look over the list of people he has to give birth announcements to, to make sure everyone is included who is supposed to be…”

“What!” His father yelled as he jumped out of his chair, planting his fists on his antique desk. “Sweet Mother of God, tell me you’re joking Michael!”

Michael knew better than to laugh but he was sure his father saw the mirth dancing in his eyes.

“You put a stop to that right now, Michael. I don’t care what you tell that bastard, but you make sure he doesn’t speak to any of our associates in any way, shape or form, understand?”

DiNozzo ran a hand down his face. He had to get rid of Constantino as soon as possible. DiNozzo had absolutely no intention of bringing him into the fold and there is no way in hell he would let it be known that he had let anyone even associated with him become mixed up in this type of perverted mess. Hell, none of his Family even knew that Anthony was still alive. He’d made sure of it. Anthony had dropped off of their radar when he’d been disowned at age 12 and very soon he’d make sure that there’d never be a reference to one Anthony Dante DiNozzo ever again.

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“Gibbs!”
Ducky decided to stir the soup while Jethro answered his phone.

“Damnit…no, I do not need you to come in…never mind, they’re here. You keep an eye out…”

Ducky turned to see Gibbs slam his phone shut as he left the kitchen. Ducky followed quickly and saw Jethro start up the stairs but he paused at sudden pounding at the front door and repeated ringing of the doorbell. This was accompanied by a strident voice demanding to be let in.

“Ducky, that’s McGee and Abby. Let them in. I’m checking on Tony…” he called as he took the steps two at a time to get upstairs.

Ducky moved quickly to the door and found that yes indeed it was both Abby and McGee.

“Ducky, Ducky, Ducky where is he? Where’s Tony? He said he was back and to come right over to Gibbs’ house and to call Ziva and I told Timmy but he didn’t believe me but I held the phone out and he heard Tony’s voice, too, and so we came right over but where is he Ducky? Where’s Tony and why did he leave like that?”

Abby never took a breath as she held onto Ducky’s shoulders but then she began to look around the house when she heard Gibbs coming back down the stairs. She went to him to begin the same shoulder-grabbing litany but stopped at the glare on Gibbs’ face as he tried gently but quickly to disengage her hands and push her aside. Gibbs never looked at her like that! What happened?

“Gibbs?” she asked tentatively, fear forming a sudden ball in her stomach.

“He’s gone.” He said as he rushed out of the house to look around even as he dialed Ziva’s cell.

“Did you see Tony leave?”
“No, Gibbs. I called you as soon as Abby and McGee arrived and they told me that you wanted us in the house. I am canvassing the neighborhood now but I do not see anyone, no movement.”

“Keep looking!” Gibbs snapped as he closed his phone. He turned to see McGee getting into his car. He’d put two and two together and realized that they’d been used as a diversion to allow Tony to run away. Why he’d run he didn’t venture to guess, but he’d do everything he could to find him and then kick his ass for putting him and Abby into this position. That was bad enough but he sure didn’t want to go back to his Boss admitting failure on top of that. Not when it came to a team member, but especially not Tony. He’d been aware of what Tony and Gibbs meant to one another for quite awhile. And anyone could see what Tony’s leaving had done to Gibbs.

“I’ll take the right and meet up with Ziva. We’ll find him, Boss.”

Gibbs nodded and started around the side of the house. There were some openings along the fence line to some of his neighbors’ houses and he was sure Tony knew about them. They’d jogged along these streets together several times back when Tony practically lived with him.

“Stay in contact, Jethro!” Ducky called as he moved. He nodded back only to see a sobbing Abby wrapped in Ducky’s arms. He’d deal with her later. Right now he had to find Tony before Constantino did.