Tall Trees and Sea Monkeys.

Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or any of it's characters.

Spoilers: No, not really but I did get the idea from comments that Tony made in the episodes 'Untouchable' and 'Iceman'.

A/N: This is part one of a very short set of chapters that address some sad/traumatic experiences in the young life of Anthony 'Tony" DiNozzo.

1980

"Why did you do that? You…..you did that on purpose, Mamma!" he accused, staring in disbelief at the woman standing facing him across the kitchen. His little body was rigid with hurt and he rocked from foot to foot, fists clenched by his side. His bottom lip twisted as he fought to control the anger that bubbled up inside him.

The once beautiful Gabriella DiNozzo stood swaying slightly, an empty glass in one hand; making a dismissive gesture with the other.

"Anthony, don't be silly. Mamma didn't mean to.." she started toward him, running the back of one small hand across her mouth in an effort to remove the foul taste.

Behind her, their housekeeper Sofia hurried to get a mop and soak up the mess before anyone slipped. She glanced quickly at Tony's little face, which had been so filled with excitement just moments before. His normally sparkling green eyes filled with tears that overflowed and streaked down his reddening cheeks.

"You did! You did mean it….I hate you!" Tony spun around and fled through the kitchen door, across the terrace and out into the back garden. Speeding as fast as he could across the lawn, he ran and ran until he came to his special, secret place.

Blindly, hands sought and gripped the branches as he climbed steadily upward. His feet followed where his hands had been as he went higher and higher. Branches tore at his clothes and scraped across his cheeks but he didn't falter, he didn't look down. He just kept climbing and climbing, his hands and feet remembering the way. With every thrust upward the branches became thinner and his small hands were able to grip more closely until he finally reached the top and settled his back firmly against the trunk. As he'd done so many times before, he closed his eyes and listened to the wind as it breathed gently through the branches of the great old tree and allowed the sound to soothe him. In time, the sharp, hiccuping sobs subsided and the tears that had stained his cheeks dried up.

Tony was a lonely little boy. The only child of parents whose relationship was, to all intents and purposes, over before he was born. His father had taken refuge from the loveless marriage by throwing himself into his work. Over the years, the DiNozzo Corporation had grown and was now a multi million dollar organisation that spread across the globe. As the company grew, Anthony DiNozzo Snr had spent less time at home and more in the arms of a succession of beautiful women. As a result of this obsession, his son became a stranger to him and the odd times when they met were strained and awkward.

His mother, Gabriella, took her refuge in a bottle and was usually well onto her third drink by lunchtime. She was a sad and bitter woman whose once beautiful features had hardened from her many disappointments and the pain of knowing that her husband had easily replaced her. Gabriella took every opportunity to warn Tony about the pitfalls of marriage and the risk involved in falling in love.

"Don't make the mistake your Mamma made, Anthony. Love and marriage is for fools."

It was left to Sofia, the matronly housekeeper, to provide what little love and affection she could to the boy. Tony loved Sofia and spent many hours sitting in the kitchen as she prepared their meals, or following her around the huge DiNozzo mansion chatting incessantly to the woman as she cleaned.

In turn, Sofia loved the small boy and silently cursed the selfishness of parents who, being too wrapped up in their own private 'marital war' to show their only child any love and affection, wouldn't even allow the child a pet to love.

So one day, Sofia had brought him a special surprise. A packet of Sea Monkeys complete with tank and water features, small coloured gravel and a bubbling, sunken treasure chest. Together they read the instructions and before long Tony had his very first pets to love and care for, to enjoy in his room and gaze at in wonder as they literally came to life before his eyes.

They were his only friends….well, besides Sofia that is.

But today he had brought his cherished Sea Monkey's down to the kitchen so that Sofia could help him change the water and clean the tank. It had been a while since they had changed the water and the tank was looking very green. Carefully they had scooped the tiny creatures into a small net and placed them in a tall glass on the granite bench top. Standing at the sink with his back to the door, he did not see his mother wander in, in search of another drink.

Ignoring the small boy and the woman at the sink, she spied the glass of green liquid on the bench, lifted it and took a long swallow. Realisation hit her and she bent forward, retching the vile concoction over the floor.

"Anthony! Anthony you come down here this minute! I know you're up there, damn it," Gabriella DiNozzo's voice reached him from below as she stood, arms crossed, at the base of the tree.

Ignoring his mother's demands, Tony opened his eyes and looked out across the park-like estate to the big white house in the distance that belonged to their closest neighbours.

Despite the distance he could see the house quite well and noticed that there were many children playing on the lawn today. Faint strains of music and laughter drifted on the air and as he watched, the mother moved in and out of the house escorting a new arrival to join in the fun.

A children's party!

There were little girls in pretty dresses, boys playing tag around the garden and a large table topped with party foods and balloons.

He wished he was there…if he squeezed his eyes shut he could pretend that that was his house, his family, his party.

Tony had never had a party.

He opened his eyes again to watch avidly as the partygoers gathered around a table and one small boy who sat at its head.

The parents were standing arm in arm and they all sang 'Happy Birthday' and clapped their hands when the boy blew out his candles. Tony closed his eyes again and imagined that he was the birthday boy surrounded by his loving family and friends. A small smile spread across his face.

He loved this tree!