Hi Guys,

Thank you all so much for the great reviews I have received - means the world!!!! This chapter is a little bit shorter but should have another one up in before Friday!!

Chapter 5

Crashing to the floor Tony covered his little girl's body with his own, willing to die or kill for his little girl. When he realized that there were no more shots forthcoming he quickly got up and ran his eyes over Lilly, and felt a spike of panic as he saw the blood stain on her white shirt, "Oh my god, phone an ambulance." His voice rang out over the commotion within the diner. "Lilly, Angel can you hear Daddy." He tried to assess the damage done, hating the fact that she had not yet reacted. "Come on baby open your eyes, tell me where it hurts."

Her blue eyes opened as she looked up to him, "Daddy," her voice was shaking.

"I'm here baby," Tony felt relieved on hearing her little voice, and even more relieved as he heard the sound of the ambulance close by. Adrenalin still flowing through his veins he picked her up not wanting to waste any time in getting her to hospital, he would carry her there himself if that would be quicker.
The paramedics jumped out of the ambulance seeing him running to them with the little girl held in his arms. They opened the back door pulling out the stretcher for him to lay the little girl down.

Tony reluctantly placed her on the stretcher and stood aside giving them space to assess her. Now that he knew she was in good hands, he felt the rush of adrenalin leave his body leaving him tired and drained. He did not want to think about what would happen if he lost her, they could just as well kill him now, because he would not be able to go on without her. Was this what if felt like for Gibbs. No it must have been twice as bad, losing both the woman you loved and your child must have been hell. Guilt rushed through Tony, realization dawning on him that Gibbs had yet again gone through that when he left taking away the opportunity for Gibbs to get to know his little girl. What had he done! He had taken a daughter away from her father, kept a loving and wonderful man from knowing and loving his little girl.

"Tony," Jo's voice was trying to cut through the haze, "Tony," Jo laid his hand on the younger man's shoulder. Just as Tony turned around, he swayed a little and Jo just managed to catch him as he sank down to the floor. "Hey, I need some help here." Jo turned to the paramedics, who immediately came to his side.

"His been hit in the shoulder," one of the paramedics said as he looked up at the crowd around him.

Lilly sat up on the stretcher, "Daddy."

Tracey stood next to her taking her hand, "Lie down Lil, the will look after him."

Tony opened his eyes as he heard Lilly starting to cry, "Angel, I'm ok." He tried to sit up but the paramedics held him down.

"Sir, I would suggest that you stay down."

"It was just a graze, I'll be ok," Tony argued.

"Look Sir it might look that way but you almost fainted, we need to take you to hospital."

Tony actually growled, "Don't call me Sir, and DiNozzo's don't faint," he started angrily, "and I don't need the fucking hospital. If you can't patch me up just leave me."

Stan stood watching Tony lying down next to his little girl. It had been quite a shock when they were called to the diner and finding that Tony were involved in the shooting.

"Everything's fine now little one," Tony spoke softly as he continued to stroke her hair, kissing her and caressing her. The thought of losing her was too much for him to take. Making sure that she was asleep he got up. He needed to speak to Stan, needed to get them working on getting whomever was after him.

"Director," Stan spoke as Tony came walking towards him.

Tony held up his hand stopping Stan from talking any more, "I think you need to come with me," he walked towards the elevator. Stan followed him without comment and stood watching Tony as the doors closed, not at all surprised when the emergency button was pressed.

There were a few minutes of silence and then Tony turned to Stan his expression serious as he tried to form his thoughts into words, "You need to contact Gibbs…"

"What!" Stan could not believe what he heard. He had proven himself as team lead on numerous occasions and he had been doing this for more than six years before Tony started here. He had always respected Tony and knew Tony was a good Director, but that did not give him the right to say that Stan was not good enough to investigate this case. Yes Gibbs was the best there was, no doubt about that, but he was not far behind, his closure rate for cases were almost as good as Gibbs'. "You don't trust me to do this!" Stan's anger started to take over, "I have been watching your six for the past year. I have been the one that looked after Lilly when you were away!"

"Stan," Tony could see that Stan was getting furious.

"No, Tony don't you dare Stan me!" Stan pushed forward, "You have not seen or spoken to him in over six years, and now that you are in trouble you turn to him. He was the one that pushed you away and now you want to go running back to him."

Tony closed his eyes, this was not what he wanted. "Look Stan," he tried again but Stan slammed his hand against the panel starting the elevator again.

"If you don't think I'm up to this, you should just say so and you'll have my resignation on your desk in a few…" Stan was abruptly stopped by the slap on the back of his head. "Ow, that hurt."

"I'm glad," Tony said exasperated, "if you will let me finish," Tony pressed the emergency stop again. Stan still shocked by Tony's reaction nodded slowly, "Ok, now I was going to say that you need to phone Gibbs if anything happens to me." Again Stan was about to speak, but Tony stopped him with a pointed look, "Lilly will need him," Tony almost whispered. "I don't want to think about it but I have to."

"Look let's not run ahead of ourselves, maybe this was just a random shooting." Stan could see the fear in Tony's eyes. "As you said, you did not plan going to the diner it was just a last minute decision. Let us look at all the facts and then take it from there."

Tony again averted his eyes, "There might be something you need to see, but before I show you I need you to make me this promise." Tony looked up at Stan seeing him a little bit confused. "Calling Gibbs."

"Oh," Stan sighed, he knew if Gibbs was called there will be hell to play, but knew that Tony would not let this go if he did not agree. "Don't worry about that, I'll do that, but I still don't think you have anything to worry about."

"Thank you," Tony said as he turned back to the door. "But I think you should keep your judgment until you see what I have to show you."

Walking into the lab Tony called to Terrance, "Hey Terrance I need you to get the box out."

Terrance turned around, looking quite shocked, "Thé box?"

"Yes Terrance, that one," Tony sat down, he felt drained but he needed to do this, he needed to protect his little girl. Terrance turned around, opening the bottom drawer of his filling cabinet taking out the evidence box placing it on the desk. Tony pulled the chair closer to the desk, opening the box and taking out the first letter that was closed off inside an evidence bag. "This was the first one I received about a week ago." Tony said holding out the letter to Stan.

Stan took the letter reading it to himself, he looked up at Tony, "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Look it is not the first one that I have ever received." Tony shrugged, then he looked up at Stan his expression suddenly very serious, "but today changes everything. They are not only threatening me they have moved a step closer they are threatening my child, Stan. I want this son of a bitch, and I don't care what it takes I want him taken down."

TBC