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Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo sighed in relief as his front door closed behind him. He was happy that he was home and beyond happy that he was finally alone and didn't have to keep biting his tongue so that he wouldn't say things he would probably eventually regret. He groaned when he heard a knock on his front door and silently prayed that it wasn't one of his co-workers because he didn't think he'd be able to keep his mouth shut if it was. He breathed in deeply and slowly let it out before he pulled open his front door. His eyes widened slightly at who was standing on his doorstep. "Good evening, Sir. Please come in and take a seat. I was just about to get a drink, so can I get you one as well?"
Leon Vance smirked and nodded his head as he walked into Tony's house. He hadn't been surprised at all to find that out that Tony owned a house instead of living in an apartment or condo. He knew enough about the man to know that what he saw was exactly what Tony wanted him to see when he was at work. It may have taken him a while to figure out that the way Tony acted at work was a mask, but he did and he had to admit to himself and certain other people that it was an effective mask because those he catches never sees him coming and even his team members constantly underestimated him which was idiotic in the extreme. "I wouldn't mind a beer, Agent DiNozzo. And I'm sorry that I have intruded on you at home but you left NCIS before I could catch you to have a chat. I wanted to check on you and make sure that you knew that unlike Agents McGee and David that you have tomorrow off because you need a chance to rest your voice. After everything you did today you deserve a break. It also gives me a chance to investigate something I overheard that I'm pretty sure I wasn't meant to overhear. I would appreciate it, DiNozzo, if you could make yourself unavailable tomorrow from everyone you work with including Gibbs."
Tony's mouth dropped open and then slammed shut as he realized what Vance must have overheard. He quickly went into his kitchen and grabbed two beers out of the fridge and made his way back to the living room. He handed Vance his beer and then sat down in his favorite chair which was across from the couch that Vance had sat down on. "They actually turned off comms didn't they, Sir? I was hoping that it was just them saying something to me about that and making it a joke. I planned on going in early tomorrow to listen to the recording myself since the car was also wired because there was always a chance that somebody could have stopped by the car and talked to Ziva and Tim. If that is the case, Sir, then I would respectively suggest that you bring in someone else to listen to the tapes because if she feels like she has to protect Ziva or Tim, Abby will not report the breach and dereliction of duty concerning McGee and David."
Vance sighed and nodded his head. "I already thought about and I have requested a couple of the FBI's BAU premier team to listen to the tapes along with their tech support since I have heard nothing but good things about the woman. I will inform Gibbs tomorrow that I have put you on a delicate situation which will be the reason why nobody from your team will be able to talk to you should they decide to not listen to the order I will be giving them tomorrow about not contacting you. Do you have some place that you can go tomorrow, so that if they decide to check your home out that they won't be able to find you? If not then Jackie has asked if you'd mind a trip to Los Angeles with her because she wants to go and visit Hettie. If you agree to go with Jackie and the kids, then I'll extend your day off to a week of and it would make it more believeable that you're doing an assignment for me."
Tony pursed his lips as he thought about what he wanted to do. Actually, he already knew what he wanted to do, but he didn't want to just blurt it out excitedly. He would love going to Los Angeles because he hadn't been there in a couple months and it would give him a chance to check up on one of his best friends. "I have no problem going to Los Angeles with Jackie and the kids, Director. I was thinking about asking for a couple days off soon anyways because I need to make a trip out there to check in on a friend who likes to constantly tell me that he's fine even when I know that he's lying."
Vance shook his head. "I am taking it that the friend you want to check up on is Firefighter Evan Buckley? I know that Hettie has been having Callen and Sam check in on him regularly because something is going on there. I think you going to see him in person will do him and you both some good. In that case I will give you two weeks off with pay. While you're there I give you leave to investigate Buckley's situation with the LAFD because something is keeping him from being able to work when he's been cleared by every doctor that he has seen including two that were provided by the Navy. If the LAFD doesn't want the United States Government coming down on them then they had better get their heads out of their asses because if Buckley wants to go after them we'll provide the funds for the best lawyer possible to handle his case."
Tony scowled. "I have a feeling that his sister and a co-worker are the reason he is being held back from being able to work again. Maddie Buckley seems to think that she has the right to boss Buck around regardless of the fact that he's a functioning adult and was in the SEALs before he opted out of it. I am not even sure why she is in Los Angeles when she stopped talking to him years ago. I do know that Daniel is due back in the States in the next week or two and if Maddie doesn't stop whatever it is she's trying to do Daniel will cut her off and not feel bad about it at all. He has already warned her about trying to control Buck and if he finds out that she's the reason he isn't able to go back to a job that actually calls to him all hell will break loose."
Vance frowned. "Why does his sister not want him to be a Firefighter? As far as I know he's always used the training he has received from the Navy to be the best firefighter that he can be. Is she just scared that he's going to die or something?"
Tony rolled his eyes as he finally sat back in his seat. He knew then that he didn't have to bother with phrasing his words in a nice way because of the look that was in Vance's eyes as they talked more about Buck. "Buck was born as a savior sibling because none of the Buckley's were matches for Daniel who had leukemia as a child. Instead of asking their extended family to get tested they decided to go with a savior sibling even thought it was in its infacy and the doctors warned that it may not work. Margaret Buckley made the unilateral decision that, that was what they were going to do and she completely ignored Phillip who had wanted to ask their family to get tested to see if any of them were a match to Daniel. Daniel almost died after the transplant, but Buck's magic and even as a baby it was very noticiable if you knew what to look for which a couple family members did thankfully and they noticed that Buck was actually keeping Daniel alive because he refused to lose his big brother who was more like a father to him."
He sipped his beer and looked Vance in the eyes. "Evan Buckley may be Margaret Buckley's son biologically but he's more Sheppard then Buckley. Margaret was really pissed when her parents died and their wills were read because Buck ended up with the majority of the properties and money with a small share going to Maddie and a bigger share going to Daniel. Margaret's parents could see the writing on the wall when it came to how Margaret would treat her children and she refused to reward them for their abmissal behavior toward one of their own children. The reason that Buck got most of the properties and money is because Daniel wanted him to have it. He wanted to make sure that Buck always had money if there was something that he wanted or needed. He specifically asked his maternal grandparents to set everything aside for Buck so that he'd have money and a safe place or rather several safe places in this instance to go to if he needed to get away from Margaret. From what Buck and Daniel have said and it's been said by a lot of others to Maddie when she was younger emulated her mother which is why she got even less than Daniel did."
Vance's eyes flashed with anger at everything Tony had just told him. "It sounds like Maddie Buckley needs to learn a lesson that she needs to grow up or at the very least she needs to learn how to respect someone else's choices. If I was Buckley's maternal grandparents I would have done the exact same thing, but I probably would have let it be known that I was disowning Margaret because she doesn't know how to be a decent human. I take it that Daniel got put in charge of overseeing Maddie's trust fund which has a set of guidelines that she is supposed to follow in order to access it if he is able to cut her off from it."
Tony smirked and nodded. "There is a very stringent list of rules that Maddie has to follow when it comes to her trust fund. And the very first rule is that she was never to be able to use all of the money at once without a very good reason. And no wanting to shop or buy expensive clothing or a car was a good reason for her to spend more than her alloted allowance at one go. She isn't allowed to demand more money just because she wants something that can actually wait til she is due to get her next allowance. She isn't allowed to harass Daniel or Buck for money. She isn't to demand that Daniel or Buck give money to their egg donor. The most important rule though is that she is not to try to treat Buck like he's not his own person or demand that he give up something that he loves just because it could possibly be dangerous. The maternal grandparents knew that Margaret and Maddie both seem to think that Buck shouldn't do anything that could cause him harm just on the off chance that Daniel ever gets cancer again and needs a bone marrow transfer or something else."
Vance scowled at that information. "Then yes you are to investigate just what is keeping Buckley from being able to return to work. If his sister or a co-worker is stopping him by lying to the LAFD or someone else then act on what you find out. You may not be able to arrest someone unless they are actually doing something criminal, but it doesn't mean that you can't make some people very uncomfortable. You will have those in L.A. at your disposal to do any of your bidding. I know that you can do the computer searches yourself, but I'm sure that Mr. Beal would like to be able to help you look for the information that you are seeking. Your time is your own for the most part while you're in Los Angeles. The only thing I would ask is that you vet whoever it is that Hetty selects to tail Jackie and the kids when they're not with you. I will also ask that you spend some time with the kids because they do like spending time with you."
Tony's face grew hot even as he smiled. "I have no problem spending time with the kids or with Jackie for that matter. All three of them are a delight to be around, Sir. At least with all three of them I don't have to keep up a mask unless I absolutely want to. I will happily vet whoever Hetty chooses to assign to Jackie's and the kids protection detail. I probably would have anyways since I know that just because someone is an agent doesn't mean that they are the right ones to be protecting your family. Honestly, Sir, if you were alright with it I would rather ask the local FBI office to handle protection detail so that I could asks for Agent Ian Edgerton and Agent Don Eppes to act as their primary protection detail. Any of Don's team would be good for a protection detail and I trust them with my life and if I ever needed to I'd trust them with your life, Director."
Vance's eyes widened in surprise at that and then after thinking about it for a moment he nodded in agreement. "I will contact the Director of the FBI and ask him to assign Agent Eppes team as Jackie's protection detail while her and the kids are in Los Angeles. I think that it is a good idea to entrust the FBI with the protection detail instead of NCIS since they will be going to a different state. Besides if something happens then it will be in the FBI's hands anyways since NCIS wouldn't be able to take the lead on the investigation. I will have Jackie bring you a phone for you to use while you're away, DiNozzo, so that you can leave your work and your personal phone here locked up in the safe that I know you have."
Tony chuckled. "I think it will be a change that Don and his team will welcome for a couple weeks. I know for a fact that their last couple cases have been hard on them. They could use some downtime and something pretty simple. Much like the MCRT at HQ, Don's team at the LA FBI Field Office is the top team and the team that gets the most violent cases. I know that Don enjoys the fact that his brother is able to help them with the cases because it allows them to not only solve the cases sooner, but it helps to promote consultants within the FBI and how they can be and are used in a lot of cases. It will be nice to see Charlie, Don, and Ian again since it's been awhile since I last saw them."
Vance sighed in relief because he hadn't been sure if Tony would go along with wanted. "While you are in L.A., Internal Affairs, the BAU, and I will investigate just what Agents David and McGee did while you were busy collecting voice prints to catch a murderer and a terrorist. If they did turn off comms like I heard them say they did they will be brought up on Dereliction of Duty and a host of other things because I won't stand by and let them get away with it. They don't have to like you as a person, but that doesn't give them the right to not do the damn job they were assigned by you. There will be no excuse accepted for their actions, DiNozzo. I can't and I won't have someone on a field team that seems to think that they have the right to turn comms off when they are assigned as backup to someone going undercover. Their stupidity and childish behavior could have ended differently than it did. I am just thankful that you weren't harmed because if you had been I would have them charged as accessories since they decided that it was okay to leave you without proper backup."
Tony rubbed a hand down his face. "Honestly, Sir, I am not sure what is up with McGee and David. They seem to think that they don't have to listen to me and it doesn't matter how much I remind them that I'm above them in rank. Gibbs has reminded them more than once himself that they have to answer to me when he's not in the office or out in the field with us. They listen when Gibbs is around even if they constantly question what I say, but as soon as Gibbs is gone they ignore everything I tell them to do. That is the main reason that I was the one who was tasked to do the voice prints today. There was no way I could trust McGee or David to stay on script when it came to talking to the residents. McGee seems to think that just because he went to certain colleges that his degrees matter more than anything else. Hell he hasn't even actually looked at my list of degrees and only knows about the Phys Ed degree I got from Ohio State University while I was there playing basketball and football."
Vance snorted and rolled his eyes. "A lot of your degrees are actually locked down because Tom Morrow made sure that I knew just how much you prefer to be underestimated after he read me the riot act for the way I was treating you when I first took over NCIS. I will admit that I didn't read your complete file like I should have and for that I am sorry. I listened to Jenny Shepard when I shouldn't have and she had a lot to complain about when it came to you. She was really pissed when you refused to do the undercover op because she knew that nobody else would fit the bill when it came to who she could place there. When she demanded that you do the op and you told her no and then called in SecNAV it really pissed her off because she didn't know that you had that kind of pull."
Tony shrugged his shoulders. "I don't always advertise who I know because I don't want people to attempt to use me. If someone were to try to use me it wouldn't turn out well for them at all and not just because of me. I have a lot of people in my life who would make war for me without me even asking them to. I get a phone call daily from General Jack O'Neill checking on me because his Guide worries about me constantly. Hell O'Neill and Daniel showed up at my house last night and cooked me dinner because Daniel knew that I was too tired to cook once I finally made it home. I barely ate and changed before I was out like a light. I woke up to them still at my house this morning and they made me eat breakfast before I could even leave to come into work."
Vance smiled. "Yes, I know that they had plans to ambush you last night and I was the one to call and let General O'Neill know that you were on the way home. He also called me this morning to let me know that you were on the way to work and that he was having you tailed. It is my understanding that even when you are on NCIS property that you are to have a tail of somekind because of something you receieved in the mail yesterday."
Tony nodded sharply. "Yeah, someone thought that it was a good idea to leave a threat in my mailbox yesterday. What they didn't stop to think about is the fact that I would have it tested. I did bring it in with me to work and one of the lab technicans are checking it over now along with whichever FBI Agent that was sent over. I just asked that they let me know if they figure out who was stupid enough to put a threat in a Federal Agents mailbox because they may just win the Darwin Award for this month."
Vance snickered and took a drink of his beer. "I would have to agree with you there. Then again a lot of criminals these days are complete morons and don't stop to think about what they're doing. I will make sure that when you come back from Los Angeles that things are as they should be, DiNozzo, and I'm sorry that I haven't stepped in before now. I am not sure who O'Neill will send with you to Los Angeles, but I have no doubt that he will be sending someone with you."
Tony huffed and shook his head. "There is only one person that O'Neill can send with me to Los Angeles that John Sheppard will approve of and that is Cameron Mitchell. John is Buck's brother, Director, and since Buck is the baby of the family he is very protective of Buck and everything around him. As far as I know John isn't on Earth currently and neither is Evan Lorne who would actually be John's first pick, but since neither are on Earth then the next in line would be Mitchell."
Vance's eyes widened in shock and he sat forward. "How in the hell did I not know that Buckley is related to the Sheppard's? I don't know why I didn't really catch that earlier when you made mention of Buckley being more Sheppard than Buckley."
Tony cackled because of the look on Vance's face. Once he calmed down he snorted and grinned. "Patrick Sheppard made sure that Buck was hidden from those looking for something or someone to use against him. It helps to keep Buck safe because even today there are people who would try to use Buck against Patrick or even John and if that were ever to happen there would be a body count a mile wide at the very least."
Vance scoffed. "I think that there would be a body count a hundred miles wide, DiNozzo. Patrick Sheppard is fierce when it comes to the protection of his family. I have heard that John Sheppard is ten times worse than Patrick so that tells me everything that I need to know. Is John really close to Buck?"
Tony smiled slightly at the question. "Honestly, I think if people were to see John and Buck together that they would think that Buck is John's son and not his baby brother. I have wondered myself more than once if John isn't actually Buck's father and Patrick has taken on the role to protect both John and Buck from questions that can't be answered. All I can and will say is that if Buck is John Sheppard's child then John was underage when he was born and that could explain why Patrick stepped into the role as father for Buck. The thing is though John is also protective of Daniel, but I will be the first to admit that he is nowhere near as protective of Daniel as he is of Buck. I think that once John hears what Maddie is trying to pull that he will show up in Los Angeles and make Maddie regret ever trying to harm Buck even with just trying to keep him away from a job that clearly calls for him."
Vance shifted slightly and then shrugged his shoulders as he said, "John Sheppard has already been recalled to Earth, DiNozzo. I got the orders across my desk before I left earlier, so obviously O'Neill does know that something is going on with Buckley. I wouldn't be surprised if come tomorrow Sheppard is here and ready to follow you to Los Angeles."
Tony swore long and hard. "I should have known that Jack would have realized that something is up with Buck and that he would activately work to fix whatever it is. I am sure that there is something all of us are missing when it comes to Buck, but he draws people in like honey to a bee. And it isn't just the fact that he is a latent Shaman Guide either because I'm a latent Shaman Guide and while I draw people to me I don't draw as many as Buck does. I am not sure if he was ever checked to see if he was magical in any way or not because it isn't something that most people ask. The only other person that I know that draws people in like Buck does happens to be the mate of Alpha Derek Hale in Beacon Hills, California. Maybe I should put a call into Alpha Hale and see if he can get his mate to check Buck over to see if there is something going on that has been missed."
Vance pulled his cell phone out and sent a text message. Once he sent the text message he looked back at Tony. "I just texted Hettie and asked her to contact Alpha Hale about getting him to Los Angeles by tomorrow evening. I think that in this case it may be better for it to come through official channels because if Buckley does have magic and it was bound then it needs to be recorded, so that those who bound his magic can be gone after legally."
Tony sighed but nodded in agreement. "I should probably give Patrick a heads up because if he finds out about it from someone else all hell will break loose."
He pulled out his own cell phone and dialed Patrick's cell number and then as it rang he put it on speaker phone and set his phone down beside him on the arm of his chair. Once it connected he smiled slightly. "Good evening, Patrick. Are you able to talk or are you somewhere where you can't talk freely?"
Patrick Sheppard sighed. "I am in my office and General O'Neill, John, and Rodney are with me, Tony. Are they okay to hear what you have to say or do I need to go into another room?"
Tony scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Actually, them being there saves some time. I have Director Leon Vance here with me at my place. Patrick, John, I have a bit of a weird question for you, but for some reason I didn't think about it until just a few minutes ago. Did either of you have Buck checked for magical potential? It is just that I finally realized that the only other person I know that draws people to them like a bee to honey is Alpha Derek Hale's mate Spark Stiles Stiliniski. Looking back I can see just how easily Buck draws people to his side, but I can also see just how much trouble he seems to attract without even trying."
Patrick groaned low in his throat. "I didn't think to get him checked for magical potential and I should have since most of those in our family are a Supernatural Being of some kind in one way or another. I don't know why but I took Margaret's word that Buck didn't have anything magical or supernatural in origin going on with him when I took full blown custody of him and Daniel after their grandparents couldn't raise them any longer due to health issues. There were many instances that made me doubt Margaret's words at one time or another, but before I could act on my suspicions I always decided that she must have been telling me the truth."
Jack growled and snapped, "It sounds like Margaret Buckley had someone spell you to not have Evan Buckley checked and that is concerning. You will be getting a complete scan done, Patrick, and I damn well mean it. Tony, what are your plans? And yes I have no doubt that you have a plan of some kind through going through that head of yours."
Tony sighed. "Well, I thought that I would ask Alpha Hale to check in on Buck, but Director Vance went the official route and asked Hetty Lange to contact Alpha Hale and get him to Los Angeles by tomorrow evening. Director Vance was correct that it needs to be official on the off chance that something is found because it needs to be documented so that we can go after Margaret Buckley. Jack, I do think that it would be a good idea if you got Daniel state side sooner rather than later because Buck's going to need him. I have no clue what is going on currently at the LAFD, but I plan on finding out once I get boots on the ground in Los Angeles tomorrow. I have a feeling that Maddie Buckley has done some things that are going to end up with her in a shit load of trouble and someone needs to be there for Buck because he's going to realize just how much trouble she has caused for him concerning his return to work."
John swore and hissed, "If Maddie is the reason my boy hasn't been able to get back to work she's going to wish that she had never met me. She will really wish that Daniel never let her back into their lives because he will bring hell down upon her head."
Tony frowned at John's words and then something clicked in his head and he sat forward in shock. "John, are you saying that Evan Buckley is yours and Daniel's son and not your guys brother? How in the hell did I not know this?"
John groaned as he realized what he let slip. "None of us let anyone know, but Buck does know that he's mine and Daniel's son. We kept it silent because we didn't want people targeting Buck to get to either of us. After the first bone marrow treatment failed Daniel it was agreed that after Buck was a year old that he could donate to try to save his father because none of us wanted him to lose his father before got to know him. I will explain everything once we're in Los Angeles because it isn't something that should be done over the phone. And I feel like I need Evan's and Daniel's permission to give more detail. Daniel will be meeting us in Los Angeles tomorrow afternoon, Tony. Rodney and I will be at your house in the morning and then we'll head to Director Vance's house and pick up his family. I need to be L.A. sooner rather than later, so Jack is making arrangements for us to be sent there via beaming."