Severed Connection- Chapter 10
Chapter 10
AN: Thanks for the reviews!
Warning: some OOC moments
*
As Tony sat in his father’s Gulfstream Learjet, he couldn’t help but be nervous. Had he done the right thing? His father seemed to be sincere since he had come to Bethesda. He had not given any indication that Tony was unwanted or an inconvenience. That had certainly been different from when he was growing up.
Upon his arrival at Bethesda, Senior had expeditiously made arrangements in two days for twenty-four hour home health care at their mansion in New York. The nurse whom Senior hired was flown to Maryland and met Tony prior to their departure. She seemed nice. She was a kind, gentle woman in her late fifties. Tony had taken to Alice from the get go. She was tough, but loving and she made funny jokes, which Tony liked.
She monitored his oxygen levels and made Tony wear the nasal cannula for oxygen when he needed to. She was a bit of a mother hen. It made Tony a bit uncomfortable at first, but she told Tony to get used to it. She told him she’d have him on his feet in no time. At this point, Tony was too tired to argue.
He dozed lightly on the way to Long Island, New York. He heard his father in the background conducting some business. Before he knew it, they were in a limo driving towards their destination. Tony could not help his unease and nerves increase as they approached the Dinozzo estate.
This had been his childhood home and he had not been there in fifteen years. As if his father could sense his trepidation, he looked upon his son. He patted his arm gently and tried to smile.
Tony’s heart beat wildly and his breath came in short bursts. Alice felt his pulse and assessed her patient. “Tony, you need to slow your breathing down.” She said softly as he began to cough. She beat on his back to help break up the mucus as she tried to reassure him. “It’s okay, Tony. Slow down.” The nurse looked at her boss. She noticed the worried eyes of the older man.
He had been honest with her from her hire. He told Alice an abbreviated history of what transpired between him and his son. Alice just thought how much of a shame it was, the time Senior wasted. Alice herself had lost her only child when she was five and the heartache of it has never gone away. To knowingly throw your child away is unforgivable. Initially she was unsure if she wanted to take the job, but after she met Tony, he seemed so sweet and sad that she felt she could help him.
When they arrived, the butler was waiting with a wheelchair in the back of the mansion. Senior had a wheelchair accessible ramp installed to allow Tony easy access into the home. Luckily, the mansion was equipped with an elevator so navigating indoors was not too much of an issue.
Alice and Senior helped a still weakened Tony from the car. He wanted to protest, but if he was honest with himself, Tony did not have the strength to maneuver himself right now. He sat down heavily in the chair. After a few moments to catch his breath, he wiped his sweaty brow and looked up. “Hi, Paul.” Tony said, voice raspy from the mucus settling in his throat.
“Anthony, it is such a delight to see you.” The British older gentleman said kindly.
“Thanks.” He replied. Paul moved behind the chair and began to wheel him into the house.
“Didn’t realize the house had one of these.” Tony said to the man as they went up the ramp into the house.
“Your father had it installed yesterday.” He quietly responded as they entered the large home. As they went towards the elevator, Tony scanned his surroundings; he noticed how much of the mansion had stayed the same. He took a deep breath and realized that it still smelled the same. He couldn’t help but have watery eyes as memories flooded in his head. Some were good, but the majority were not. He looked down to try to compose himself. It was overwhelming being in his childhood home. Right now, he needed a moment alone.
Luckily, they arrived in front of a door that he could only assume was to be his room. His father opened it and they went through. The room was enormous and the beautiful décor was interspersed with medical equipment. There was a traditional king sized bed alongside a hospital type bed. It was the best of luxurious comfort with the practicality of a hospital room. Tony was taken back a moment at what his father put together for him. He felt he needed to say something.
“I-It’s great, father. Thank you.” He said softly.
“I’m glad you like it.” He turned to his butler and nurse. “Could you give us a moment?”
He waited until the two left and sat on the bed facing Tony in his wheelchair. “This is your home, Anthony. I know it will take some time, but I hope one day you will feel comfortable here.” He smiled slightly. “I want you to know that despite the circumstances, I am so happy you are here. Never doubt that . Okay?” He squeezed Tony’s arm as his son nodded, not trusting his voice at this point. “So,” Senior stood, “let’s get Alice back in here and get you settled.”
*
Senior sat in his home office. He had spent most of the three and a half weeks since Tony had come home here at the estate. He had ventured into Manhattan only a few times for essential meetings he could not miss. He made sure on those two occasions that Tony knew he would only be gone a few hours at the most. Luckily flying to Manhattan in his helicopter shortened his trips.
He was pleased his son was improving. He had started physical therapy to strengthen his muscles and he only needed oxygen occasionally. He still had a ways to go in his convalescence but he was making strides.
Tony seemed to becoming more comfortable around him but he knew it would take some time to be able to build a normal father/son relationship. Senior looked down when his phone rang.
“Anthony Dinozzo.” He said confidently.
“Mr. Dinozzo.” The voice on the other line spoke.
“Ah, Agent Gibbs. I was surprised not to hear from you yesterday.” He replied. Jethro had called every day since Tony’s release.
“We had a bad case. I couldn’t get away.” Jethro responded gruffly.
“I see.”
“How is Tony?” His voice carried a hint of worry.
“He’s improving with each day. But, it’s a slow process.” Senior said.
“Could I talk to him?” Jethro asked.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Agent Gibbs.” He heard Jethro sigh.
“Have you even told him about my calls?” The lead agent asked.
“I have not.” Senior answered truthfully. He knew Jethro was going to blow up so he continued. “Now I know you may think my intentions are not pure, Agent Gibbs. I am lucky enough that my son has given me a second chance to try to be the father he deserves.” His voice cracked slightly and then he went on. “One thing I have noticed that one of the reasons he is here is because he is running away from something there.”
“Has he talked to you about it?”
“No. And I am not going to pry. All I know is that he needs time. He is going through a lot.” He paused. “I appreciate the calls. It makes me feel better that there are people who care about him. I will inform him of your calls…when the time is right. Until then, give him time, Agent Gibbs.” There was silence for a moment. “Have a good day.” He said without malice.
“You too.” Gibbs answered and then hung up.
*
Later that evening, Senior found Tony in the lounge area off his bedroom. It had a 60 inch flat screen. Tony was lying on the plush couch watching a movie. Senior noticed the slight smile on his son’s face. He looked at the screen. “Casablanca.”
“Yeah.” Tony answered with a slight blush to his face as he paused the movie.
“That was your mother’s favorite movie.” Senior replied. Tony had moved to sit up. The movement caused a small coughing fit. As he gasped slightly, his father beat on his back like Alice had showed him. He sat next to his son.
When it was over, Tony took a deep breath and looked down. “I hate this.”
“Yes, but you are getting better.”
“I know.” He let one more cough out. It sounded painful to Senior’s ears. He reached over to the coffee table and grabbed a tissue and handed it to Tony. Tony was able to spit out the mucus that had accumulated in his mouth and placed the used napkin in the small trash bin by the couch. He turned to see Senior holding a water bottle. He took a small sip. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” His father said. They sat in silence for a time and he noticed Tony had not restarted the movie.
“Everything okay, Anthony?”
His son shrugged and looked away a bit. “I’m not sure what you want from me.” He said in almost a shy manner.
Senior knew that eventually they would really need to talk. He took a deep breath and began. “When I disowned you, I was so angry. No son of mine was going to be caught dead at a Midwest state school.” He chuckled bitterly. “Tony, I wasn’t thinking about you. I was only thinking about me. I was a bastard, I was a drunk and I am so sorry. I knew things were bad before you left and I basically threw you out to fend for yourself.” He paused as he tried not to let his emotions carry him away. “I didn’t get my head out of ass until I sobered up about five years ago. I started to think about you…wondering what you were doing…” He looked at Tony who was staring at his hands. “I hired a private eye to find you.” Tony looked up with wide eyes.
“Why?” His voice laced with hurt.
“Because I needed to know you were okay. I needed to apologize and beg for your forgiveness. I don’t deserve it. But I wanted to get to know my son.” Senior’s eyes watered. “I found out what you had done in your football career in college and when you became a police officer and then I found you in DC.”
“That’s when you started calling.” Tony whispered, still not able to look his father in the eye.
“Tony, you have built a good life for yourself. You have become an amazing young man, despite me.” He placed his hand on Tony’s arm. “You place your life in danger to help the armed forces and protect the country against terrorism. I am so proud of you.”
Tony bit his lip. The words he wanted to hear for so long had rendered him speechless. He did not know what to say.
“There are many people in DC that care about you. I have been inundated with calls for daily updates on you; especially Agent Gibbs.”
Tony gasped slightly when he heard Jethro’s name. He had talked with Jenny and Ducky several times but not Gibbs. “Why didn’t you tell me he called?”
“Calls. He calls nearly every day. And I did not say anything until now because I could tell it would be upsetting to you. Am I right?” Tony hesitated but then nodded. “I am so happy you are here with me, even if it is only for a short while. But…are you running from something, Anthony?”
He shook his head not wanting to talk about it. It was becoming too much: his father’s apologetic words and thinking about the situation in DC was almost too much to bear. Tony was coming close to falling apart.
“What’s wrong with me?” The tone of defeat in Tony’s voice broke his father’s heart. Did he damage his boy beyond repair? He looked at his father with shiny eyes. He appeared to be a little boy searching for answers. “You didn’t want me…and he…they didn’t either…” Tony placed his hands over his face trying to regain his composure.
“Tony…what I did to you wasn’t your fault." His voice cracked. "I was broken inside and I took it out on you. Please, son, it wasn’t your fault.” He placed his hand on Tony’s shoulder and realized something. “Tony, you care about Agent Gibbs, don’t you?” Tony gazed up at him, despair on his face. “That’s why he is calling so much. It's more than a working relationship. He cares about you too.” Tony frantically shook his head.
“No, he doesn’t.” He whispered and began staring at his shaking hands again.
“It doesn’t matter whom you love son.” Tony lifted his head in surprise. “I’m not here to judge. I want you in my life and I want to be a part of yours.” It all became too much for Tony and tears began to pour down his face. He cried for his lost childhood, he cried for his beloved mother who left this life too soon, and he cried for the loneliness and self doubt that had consumed him for all his life. His father embraced his distraught son, rocking him slowly. He needed the release and maybe he could start to heal physically and emotionally.
As Tony’s head lay on his father’s chest, he said, “I’m so tired...” His voice was thick with emotion.
“Mia Tonio.” Senior spoke gently as he stroked his son’s soft hair. “Rest now…everything will work out. Let me finally take care of you.” A tear slipped from his father’s eye.
TBC…
Continue to Chapter 11
AN: Thanks for the reviews!
Warning: some OOC moments
*
As Tony sat in his father’s Gulfstream Learjet, he couldn’t help but be nervous. Had he done the right thing? His father seemed to be sincere since he had come to Bethesda. He had not given any indication that Tony was unwanted or an inconvenience. That had certainly been different from when he was growing up.
Upon his arrival at Bethesda, Senior had expeditiously made arrangements in two days for twenty-four hour home health care at their mansion in New York. The nurse whom Senior hired was flown to Maryland and met Tony prior to their departure. She seemed nice. She was a kind, gentle woman in her late fifties. Tony had taken to Alice from the get go. She was tough, but loving and she made funny jokes, which Tony liked.
She monitored his oxygen levels and made Tony wear the nasal cannula for oxygen when he needed to. She was a bit of a mother hen. It made Tony a bit uncomfortable at first, but she told Tony to get used to it. She told him she’d have him on his feet in no time. At this point, Tony was too tired to argue.
He dozed lightly on the way to Long Island, New York. He heard his father in the background conducting some business. Before he knew it, they were in a limo driving towards their destination. Tony could not help his unease and nerves increase as they approached the Dinozzo estate.
This had been his childhood home and he had not been there in fifteen years. As if his father could sense his trepidation, he looked upon his son. He patted his arm gently and tried to smile.
Tony’s heart beat wildly and his breath came in short bursts. Alice felt his pulse and assessed her patient. “Tony, you need to slow your breathing down.” She said softly as he began to cough. She beat on his back to help break up the mucus as she tried to reassure him. “It’s okay, Tony. Slow down.” The nurse looked at her boss. She noticed the worried eyes of the older man.
He had been honest with her from her hire. He told Alice an abbreviated history of what transpired between him and his son. Alice just thought how much of a shame it was, the time Senior wasted. Alice herself had lost her only child when she was five and the heartache of it has never gone away. To knowingly throw your child away is unforgivable. Initially she was unsure if she wanted to take the job, but after she met Tony, he seemed so sweet and sad that she felt she could help him.
When they arrived, the butler was waiting with a wheelchair in the back of the mansion. Senior had a wheelchair accessible ramp installed to allow Tony easy access into the home. Luckily, the mansion was equipped with an elevator so navigating indoors was not too much of an issue.
Alice and Senior helped a still weakened Tony from the car. He wanted to protest, but if he was honest with himself, Tony did not have the strength to maneuver himself right now. He sat down heavily in the chair. After a few moments to catch his breath, he wiped his sweaty brow and looked up. “Hi, Paul.” Tony said, voice raspy from the mucus settling in his throat.
“Anthony, it is such a delight to see you.” The British older gentleman said kindly.
“Thanks.” He replied. Paul moved behind the chair and began to wheel him into the house.
“Didn’t realize the house had one of these.” Tony said to the man as they went up the ramp into the house.
“Your father had it installed yesterday.” He quietly responded as they entered the large home. As they went towards the elevator, Tony scanned his surroundings; he noticed how much of the mansion had stayed the same. He took a deep breath and realized that it still smelled the same. He couldn’t help but have watery eyes as memories flooded in his head. Some were good, but the majority were not. He looked down to try to compose himself. It was overwhelming being in his childhood home. Right now, he needed a moment alone.
Luckily, they arrived in front of a door that he could only assume was to be his room. His father opened it and they went through. The room was enormous and the beautiful décor was interspersed with medical equipment. There was a traditional king sized bed alongside a hospital type bed. It was the best of luxurious comfort with the practicality of a hospital room. Tony was taken back a moment at what his father put together for him. He felt he needed to say something.
“I-It’s great, father. Thank you.” He said softly.
“I’m glad you like it.” He turned to his butler and nurse. “Could you give us a moment?”
He waited until the two left and sat on the bed facing Tony in his wheelchair. “This is your home, Anthony. I know it will take some time, but I hope one day you will feel comfortable here.” He smiled slightly. “I want you to know that despite the circumstances, I am so happy you are here. Never doubt that . Okay?” He squeezed Tony’s arm as his son nodded, not trusting his voice at this point. “So,” Senior stood, “let’s get Alice back in here and get you settled.”
*
Senior sat in his home office. He had spent most of the three and a half weeks since Tony had come home here at the estate. He had ventured into Manhattan only a few times for essential meetings he could not miss. He made sure on those two occasions that Tony knew he would only be gone a few hours at the most. Luckily flying to Manhattan in his helicopter shortened his trips.
He was pleased his son was improving. He had started physical therapy to strengthen his muscles and he only needed oxygen occasionally. He still had a ways to go in his convalescence but he was making strides.
Tony seemed to becoming more comfortable around him but he knew it would take some time to be able to build a normal father/son relationship. Senior looked down when his phone rang.
“Anthony Dinozzo.” He said confidently.
“Mr. Dinozzo.” The voice on the other line spoke.
“Ah, Agent Gibbs. I was surprised not to hear from you yesterday.” He replied. Jethro had called every day since Tony’s release.
“We had a bad case. I couldn’t get away.” Jethro responded gruffly.
“I see.”
“How is Tony?” His voice carried a hint of worry.
“He’s improving with each day. But, it’s a slow process.” Senior said.
“Could I talk to him?” Jethro asked.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Agent Gibbs.” He heard Jethro sigh.
“Have you even told him about my calls?” The lead agent asked.
“I have not.” Senior answered truthfully. He knew Jethro was going to blow up so he continued. “Now I know you may think my intentions are not pure, Agent Gibbs. I am lucky enough that my son has given me a second chance to try to be the father he deserves.” His voice cracked slightly and then he went on. “One thing I have noticed that one of the reasons he is here is because he is running away from something there.”
“Has he talked to you about it?”
“No. And I am not going to pry. All I know is that he needs time. He is going through a lot.” He paused. “I appreciate the calls. It makes me feel better that there are people who care about him. I will inform him of your calls…when the time is right. Until then, give him time, Agent Gibbs.” There was silence for a moment. “Have a good day.” He said without malice.
“You too.” Gibbs answered and then hung up.
*
Later that evening, Senior found Tony in the lounge area off his bedroom. It had a 60 inch flat screen. Tony was lying on the plush couch watching a movie. Senior noticed the slight smile on his son’s face. He looked at the screen. “Casablanca.”
“Yeah.” Tony answered with a slight blush to his face as he paused the movie.
“That was your mother’s favorite movie.” Senior replied. Tony had moved to sit up. The movement caused a small coughing fit. As he gasped slightly, his father beat on his back like Alice had showed him. He sat next to his son.
When it was over, Tony took a deep breath and looked down. “I hate this.”
“Yes, but you are getting better.”
“I know.” He let one more cough out. It sounded painful to Senior’s ears. He reached over to the coffee table and grabbed a tissue and handed it to Tony. Tony was able to spit out the mucus that had accumulated in his mouth and placed the used napkin in the small trash bin by the couch. He turned to see Senior holding a water bottle. He took a small sip. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” His father said. They sat in silence for a time and he noticed Tony had not restarted the movie.
“Everything okay, Anthony?”
His son shrugged and looked away a bit. “I’m not sure what you want from me.” He said in almost a shy manner.
Senior knew that eventually they would really need to talk. He took a deep breath and began. “When I disowned you, I was so angry. No son of mine was going to be caught dead at a Midwest state school.” He chuckled bitterly. “Tony, I wasn’t thinking about you. I was only thinking about me. I was a bastard, I was a drunk and I am so sorry. I knew things were bad before you left and I basically threw you out to fend for yourself.” He paused as he tried not to let his emotions carry him away. “I didn’t get my head out of ass until I sobered up about five years ago. I started to think about you…wondering what you were doing…” He looked at Tony who was staring at his hands. “I hired a private eye to find you.” Tony looked up with wide eyes.
“Why?” His voice laced with hurt.
“Because I needed to know you were okay. I needed to apologize and beg for your forgiveness. I don’t deserve it. But I wanted to get to know my son.” Senior’s eyes watered. “I found out what you had done in your football career in college and when you became a police officer and then I found you in DC.”
“That’s when you started calling.” Tony whispered, still not able to look his father in the eye.
“Tony, you have built a good life for yourself. You have become an amazing young man, despite me.” He placed his hand on Tony’s arm. “You place your life in danger to help the armed forces and protect the country against terrorism. I am so proud of you.”
Tony bit his lip. The words he wanted to hear for so long had rendered him speechless. He did not know what to say.
“There are many people in DC that care about you. I have been inundated with calls for daily updates on you; especially Agent Gibbs.”
Tony gasped slightly when he heard Jethro’s name. He had talked with Jenny and Ducky several times but not Gibbs. “Why didn’t you tell me he called?”
“Calls. He calls nearly every day. And I did not say anything until now because I could tell it would be upsetting to you. Am I right?” Tony hesitated but then nodded. “I am so happy you are here with me, even if it is only for a short while. But…are you running from something, Anthony?”
He shook his head not wanting to talk about it. It was becoming too much: his father’s apologetic words and thinking about the situation in DC was almost too much to bear. Tony was coming close to falling apart.
“What’s wrong with me?” The tone of defeat in Tony’s voice broke his father’s heart. Did he damage his boy beyond repair? He looked at his father with shiny eyes. He appeared to be a little boy searching for answers. “You didn’t want me…and he…they didn’t either…” Tony placed his hands over his face trying to regain his composure.
“Tony…what I did to you wasn’t your fault." His voice cracked. "I was broken inside and I took it out on you. Please, son, it wasn’t your fault.” He placed his hand on Tony’s shoulder and realized something. “Tony, you care about Agent Gibbs, don’t you?” Tony gazed up at him, despair on his face. “That’s why he is calling so much. It's more than a working relationship. He cares about you too.” Tony frantically shook his head.
“No, he doesn’t.” He whispered and began staring at his shaking hands again.
“It doesn’t matter whom you love son.” Tony lifted his head in surprise. “I’m not here to judge. I want you in my life and I want to be a part of yours.” It all became too much for Tony and tears began to pour down his face. He cried for his lost childhood, he cried for his beloved mother who left this life too soon, and he cried for the loneliness and self doubt that had consumed him for all his life. His father embraced his distraught son, rocking him slowly. He needed the release and maybe he could start to heal physically and emotionally.
As Tony’s head lay on his father’s chest, he said, “I’m so tired...” His voice was thick with emotion.
“Mia Tonio.” Senior spoke gently as he stroked his son’s soft hair. “Rest now…everything will work out. Let me finally take care of you.” A tear slipped from his father’s eye.
TBC…
Continue to Chapter 11