A FAMLY, AT LAST (the First in the Dream series)

By peppe1951

Summary: After a particular hard case Tony heals with a dream and the help of his friends. Disclaimer: NCIS belongs to CBS and Paramount; I only write about them.

(This story doesn't have the disciplining of an adult but later stories in the series will.)

Chapter 1

It had been a difficult case especially for Agent DiNozzo. The case began when Captain Ronald Miller, a Naval officer, called in a missing person report, his son Tommy. Tommy Miller was twelve years old, dark hair, slender with green eyes and could be a spitting image for Tony DiNozzo including his love for sports. When the boy hadn't returned home after school his father had called the school only to learn that the boy had never made it there that morning.

The case had been given to Gibbs' team who started its investigation at once. Tony had talked to the principal of the boy's school to learn that a call to the father had been sent but since the school was in the process of taking six week tests a second call had been over looked. After that Tony had talked to Tommy friends who could tell him nothing.

An Amber Alert had been immediately issued as soon as the boy was reported missing. Gibbs had handled talking to the father with Kate canvassing the neighbors. Soon it was learned that Tommy's mother had died when the boy was six and it had only been father and son since. The Captain had not remarried or even dated much and seemed to spend all of his extra time with his son….he seemed to be a great and caring father.

The search had gone on for four days, four days of little or no sleep for Agent DiNozzo until he happened to catch Davy Williams sneaking around in his backyard and followed discretely where he discovered Tommy hiding place, in his best friend's tree house.

Tony waited until after Davy had left before making his move. As he climbed the ladder up to the entrance he called out, "Tommy? I'm Agent Tony DiNozzo, NCIS," before sticking his head out and climbing all the way up into the room.

"I'm not going back," screamed Tommy as he rushed for the exit.

Tony easily caught him and pushed him gently back. "Hey, if something is going on tell me…we will investigate it and if it is proven true, you won't," he assured the boy.

Tommy looked searching at the agent before nodding and sat down to await Tony's next move. Tony hunched down so he was at Tommy's level and asked, "Why were you hiding, Tommy? Your father has been worried sick over your disappearance."

Tommy stood up and turned around lifting his shirt so that his back could be seen. Tony winced with sympathy and asked, "Did your father do that?"

"Yes…he calls it his toughening-up process. He's been doing this to me since I was six; I just couldn't take it anymore and split," replied the boy.

"Tommy I need to report in to my boss that you have been found."

"But you promised that I would have to go back," cried the boy.

"Reporting to my boss doesn't mean that we are going to turn you back over to your father; it means that the Amber Alert can be deactivate and we can start a new investigation on your abuse," Tony said quickly as he tried to calm the boy.

"Okay."

Tony quickly removed his cellphone from his pocket and called Gibbs, "Boss I found Tommy. He's okay and hiding in the next door neighbor's treehouse. Boss, don't tell his father yet…he's been abusing Tommy for years…thanks boss."

Tony turned back to Tommy and said, "My boss is coming by to see you…don't worry he may seem gruff but he's a nice guy especially with kids."

Tommy nodded just as Gibbs climbed up, "Boss this is Tommy…Tommy this is my boss, Special Agent Gibbs," and stood back to watch his boss work.

Gibbs smiled at the boy and sat down next to the boy putting him at ease at once. "So Tommy Agent DiNozzo tells me that your father has been abusing you for years," and with the boy's nod Gibbs asked, "I would like you to tell me all about it?"

Tommy opened up and told without hesitation told of all the years of physical and mental abuse his father had subjected him to and why ending it with, "I just couldn't take it anymore Agent Gibbs. He was going to enroll me in a Military Academy and take me away from my friends; he said that my friends were holding me back that I could do so much better without them around."

Gibbs put a hand on Tommy's knee and squeezed comfortingly before standing and moving next to Tony. "Get with Kate and find out if Tommy has any other relatives that he can stay with and have an ambulance standing by. I want Tommy to be checked over and check with the hospitals to see if any of the marks on his body coincide with any injuries that he might have been treated for. I'll bring the boy down in a few minutes."

"Yes, boss but what about the Captain; he's going to figure out something's wrong and investigate," Tony asked.

"Let him…don't worry the boy won't be going back to him…now go," ordered Gibbs as he sent Tony on his way as he went back to Tommy's side.