Disclaimer: NCIS is the sole property of the creators, studio, writers, producers, directors, etc. Lucky them….

I consider myself lucky to be able to take them out to play for a while. Some dialogue was pulled directly from the episode Broken Arrow to maintain continuity.

A/N: Senior is back... Tony has NO idea what to expect this time, but he knows being DiNozzo, Jr. isn't going to be any easier. Caught between two 'fathers' for the 2nd time Tony wanders will Senior be friend or foe.

***The intent was a one shot, but the episode was too RICH to over condense. It will be a 'short' multi-chapter fic that digs a little DEEPER….

Ziva had been ecstatic when she opened her mail late the night before. She, unlike Gibbs or Tony, didn't let it pile high while they were on assignment. No matter the time she picked it up and sorted through it. There wasn't always a magnificent surprise inside, but this time it had been like finding the shiny toy at the bottom of her cereal box. Her United States passport had arrived.

Tim crept into his apartment and nearly collapsed at the door. They'd been up on their last case for 48 hours straight. He was hard pressed to decide which he wanted more, sleep or a shower. He knew the shower would win. Flopping into bed on his clean sheets with his grubby body was a big no-no. A triple homicide just took it out of you even if you did solve the case.

Tony was never one to go straight home after work. The execution style murder of three naval officers didn't change that & neither did Gibbs' explicit instructions to go home. The boss knew what an emotional toll some cases took on his SFA as well as the energy it took for him to 'BE' Tony all the time. No bother to Tony though because he planned to drink until all his senses were sufficiently dead. By the time he slid into his bed, mostly dressed, he was able to achieve deep slumber when his head hit the pillow. The 4am phone call, well he just didn't need that at all.

Gibbs insisted on driving Abby home. She had been functioning on Caf-Pow and adrenalin and was in no condition to get behind the wheel of a car. She disagreed loudly with a foot stomp that only resulted in her keys being taken and her riding on a tender tush. Gibbs would've taken her to his place, but Tony was his greater concern. If he knew DiNozzo, and he did, Gibbs figured he'd be close to home, but most certainly NOT in it. Making sure he got home in one piece by playing his shadow was an unspoken system they had. He didn't want to control the "boy", but he wouldn't let him completely self destruct.

It was a good thing Leroy Jethro Gibbs had learned to survive on a mere few hours sleep. Once he'd made sure everyone else was bedded down he dragged himself through his front door only hours before the sun was due up again. He had been

sleeping in his bedroom again for nearly six months now, but tonight he slipped into the old behavior of conking out on the sofa. Tomorrow was another day...

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Tony awoke with a throbbing in his head and the taste of cotton in his mouth. There was no way it could be time to get up already. Grumbling to himself out loud, "perhaps a sick day is in order...maybe some comp time..." His musing were interrupted by the sound on his phone alerting him to voicemails. He didn't even remember the phone ringing. He supposed it could be because his head had been buried beneath two pillows all night. Fumbling with the buttons he listened.

"Junior, I'm passing through the city, just landed at Reagan. It's important that you call me back!" Tony wanted to scream, but knew it would hurt him more than his father. He also wanted to delete the message, yet something made him hold on to it. Giving a slight smirk he figured he held on to the message because of the "hold" Senior had on him. The next message was from Gibbs.

"Don't even think about not coming in. 0800 DiNozzo, a minute later and I'll be on your doorstep."

All he could think was, 'GREAT' two pissed off fathers within an hour. He needed a shower, aspirin, and coffee...in that order. This could end up being a very long day.

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Stepping into the elevator at 7:58 Tony prepared for the day he was in no mood to face. His head had down graded to a dull roar. He was still avoiding the conversation with Senior and was thankful the man hadn't called back yet. It wasn't that he wanted another soldier or member of a soldier's family to be hurt, but he desperately needed to be out of the office today. His boss could always see through him and drinking on a "school" night was a big negative.

"Hey Tony look what Ziva got." McGee was completely sharing in the excitement.

Glaring back at his partners Tony snidely replied while banging around his desk. "Congratulations I'll alert the media!"

"Wow, you're in a great mood." She didn't want to let him get to her, but for some reason Ziva was drawn in and wanted to know what had Tony so upset so early.

"You know I was until I woke up this morning and saw that my father called."

"What'd he want?"

"I don't know I haven't called him back yet."

"Maybe he needs something Tony."

"That's a given he called at 4:30am."

"I was having such a good week," Tony went on exasperatedly.

"Okay..." Ziva's face took on a slight etch of concern. "When was the last time you heard from him?"

Uh, all of their questions wasn't making it better. "I don't know...a couple of months ago."

The clink of keys hitting his desk drew Tony's hands down away from his face. "Where we going boss?"

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So something was wrong. It wasn't the time or place to get into it, but something was very obviously wrong. Tony could definitely be over the top, more than a bit bossy, sometimes even a know-it-all and on occasion his sarcasm bordered on mean, but he was shifting between them all on the ride to Annapolis at a faster than usual pace. If he thought it would help Gibbs would've sent him back with Ducky. Unfortunately under the circumstances he knew he was better off keeping an eye on him.

"Hey Duck, where's DiNozzo and McGee?"

"Ziva just called them around there to the dumpster. Jethro, is something going on with Anthony?"

"Why ya asking Duck?"

"He's being, well a bit unlike himself. I do believe it will begin to grate on Timothy and Ziva before long. He just told McGee to make a note..."

"Aw, Duck tell me something about this body." Gibbs knew his gut had been churning for a reason, but unlike his grandfatherly friend his intention wasn't to delve into the DiNozzo's psyche at a crime scene.

"Give me another moment Jethro."

Walking off without another word Gibbs headed toward the Admiral who called it in. Less than five minutes later the Admiral walked off and Gibbs' gut was churning for an utterly different reason.

OTC~OTC~OTC

They were nothing if not thorough. Often times it came back to bite one or all of them in the butt. McGee kept squinting at the screen willing it to change. After the last time he didn't want to be the one to bring the news again. It was clearly his turn to talk though and all eyes were on him. Hurting his "bully" of a surrogate big brother never truly gave him any deep satisfaction. Well, there were a few times, but that sort of petty behavior ended them both up in trouble. Plus, he knew Tony wouldn't want Gibbs to know if it could be avoided. The problem was it couldn't be. He was still thinking and not talking.

"You okay McGee?" Tony asked. Ziva looked while Gibbs glared.

McGee ran down the names on the flight manifest as we flipped through the photos. He never got a chance to call the last name.

"Tony, that looks like your father."

"No, it can't be."

"Oh, it is. Manifest reads Anthony D. DiNozzo, Sr., New York, New York."

Tony immediately turned to look at his boss. Why the hell was this happening again? He could feel his lungs closing up as his shallow gasp gave signal to the panic attack welling up inside of him. Gibbs wouldn't even maintain eye contact. Turning in disgust the older agent got the feeling this was the explanation for all of Tony's behavior earlier. If he found out Tony had been lying or keeping things from him again there would be HELL to pay!

Snatching up his coffee he walked past Tony heading to the elevator giving a look that demanded, FOLLOW!

"Boss, I did not know he was involved I swear. I mean he called me at 4:30 this morning and said he was passing through, but he never said what he wanted. Then we got the case and I..."

Gibbs held up his hand. "I will not have a repeat of the last time Anthony."

"Yes, boss." He was feeling defeated and it showed.

Reaching to cuff gently cuff him behind the neck Gibbs spoke directly looking in his eyes. "It'll be fine. You just do your job and remember I'm watching your six."

"Thank you boss."

The elevator jerked back into motion. "Now get out there call him and find out why the hell he's mixed up in my murder, again!"

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He had been trying Senior for over an hour. The other two passengers on the flight had been easily located and were coming in. Tony didn't want to be, but he was getting worried that Senior might be in trouble. Worse still he might be in danger.

"My father's not answering. I got voicemail again."

"Track his cell McGee."

Leaning on Gibbs desk Tony verbally kicked himself again out loud. "Why didn't I take his call this morning?"

"I'm sure he's alright Tony. He looked fine getting off the plane."

"Yeah, so'd the guy in front of him and he ended up dead crammed in a dumpster."

"Slow down DiNozzo." Inside Gibbs was doing his own count to twenty to keep the anxious at bay. If Senior managed to get mixed up in this mess over some scheme, or worse killed, Gibbs knew he'd have major problems on his hands.

McGee got a hit on Senior's cell and called out the address. Tony grabbed his gun moving toward the elevator mumbling the entire away how it was worse than he thought. His father was at a bus station.

"Ziver," Gibbs gave the silently command for her to go with her partner. Tony didn't need to be alone, but the last thing he needed was witnessing a blow up between Gibbs and Senior.

As she slid in the elevator Tony cut her off before she could start. "Not a word Zi-va. I know Gibbs made you come, but I am NOT talking about my father."

"Whatever, I am merely an escort."

When they pulled up to the terminal Tony attempted to go in alone. Ziva wasn't having it. "I am going with you Tony, Gibbs orders."

Seeing Senior he turned to his partner, "Give me a second...this is unbelievable."

Ziva wasn't sure what the exchange was about, but Senior was safe and that was the most important thing. She texted McGee to let Gibbs know they'd found him and were bringing him in. As she put her phone away she made eye contact and waved. Her elation as seeing Senior again rubbed Tony the wrong way. Sure the man was charming, but why couldn't his partner see through it.

"Watch the hands," he barked. "Let's go!"

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As Gibbs stood outside the door to the interrogation room he knew that despite his order Tony would be on the other side of the glass. He had to keep his cool and not reach over to knock Senior on his ass. He would just stick to the case facts and leave the personal stuff out of it.

That notion ended up out the door about twenty minutes in as the questions got more suspicious.

"I'm beginning to feel like a suspect... I don't like your tone."

Gibbs never flinched even knowing his SFA was watching through the glass. "You were the last person to see Iverson alive. How I feel about you personally is irrelevant. This is a murder investigation and I'll follow it wherever it leads."

Knocking that smug look off his face would have given him more than a little pleasure, but there wasn't time. He was summoned to Vance's office to meet with the Admiral again.

Tony never took his eyes off his dad wondering out loud what he could be up to now. The man was definitely lying though because he never checked into the Adam's House.

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Gibbs watched from the overlook outside of Vance's office and MTAC. There they were, Tony's friends (family truly) fawning over Senior like he'd created snow or something. Sure they were a friendly and welcoming bunch, but they were also nosey as ever. He remembered having to reign them all in when Jack was in town those first times and during Senior's first visit. Tony seemed to be handling it, but what Gibbs had in mind would definitely push the boy right to the edge.