Chapter Text
Tony was at his wit’s end and was smart enough to reach out for help - he couldn’t do this on his own. He just needed the right leverage in the situation. As soon as he thought it, he picked up his phone.
“ DiNotezo this is a surprise.”
The mispronunciation of his name made his eye tick but he bit back his reply knowing that he wanted Tobias’ help. “Yeah, well I need a favour and Gibbs has ridden off into the sunset.”
The silence on the end of the phone told him, that he at least had Fornell’s attention. “Go on, Kid. I hear what is going on at NCIS, you know there is a place at the FBI as soon as you say the word.”
Tony sighed. “I am so close to saying word it is unreal.”
Fornell was intrigued now because he was well aware that despite his teasing most of the agencies were sniffing around DiNozzo - only they had all been ignored. He was loyal to Gibbs and that was also well known in Washington - except Gibbs had stormed off to Mexico in some type of mid-life crisis. Oh, Fornell knew all about the amnesia but he would call bullshit any time of the day.
Fornell knew enough about the circles they ran in to say. “Let’s meet for a drink. You can buy and tell me all your woes and then we’ll figure out what to do about them.”
Tony chuckled. “You’re alright, Toby, don’t let anyone tell you any different.”
Fornell finished his conversation and could admit to being intrigued. He couldn’t wait to find out what was the straw to break the camel’s back for DiNozzo. No matter how much he teased the agent, he knew the amount of crap and situations DiNozzo had managed to fight himself out of and he respected the hell out of the kid.
~*~
Tony picked a bar that Fornell recognised but it was not one where the NCIS crew tended to hang out - so that let him know that it was probably work related. Fornell sat at the bar, deciding a pint of ale while waiting was a grand idea.
DiNozzo walked in, he was not dressed in a sharp suit like at work. It was casual, well, as casual as Armani jeans could be.
“How are you?” Fornell asked with genuine concern. He didn’t need to be a trained observer to see the guy was tired.
“Exhausted, and fighting everyone to get even an ounce of work done.” Tony replied and his voice betrayed how weary he felt.
Fornell sighed. “Still under the Gibbs’ spell?”
Tony snorted because that was probably the aptest way of describing it. “Abby is acting like her favourite toy has been taken away. Ziva and McGee are being lazy insubordinate twats and are so blind to their faults that I am not sure they’re real... but when I report them I’m blocked at every turn by Director Sheppard who is encouraging them. Having been run ragged for the last three weeks, Jenny then asked me to take on an undercover mission, while still running the MCRT as normal, to go after The Frog by seducing his daughter.”
Fornell frowned not liking where this was going. “But whilst you’re not out at work it’s no secret to the higher-ups that you’re gay.”
Tony snorted because he was well aware. “Oh she doesn’t give a shit, she all but told me to lie back and think of NCIS. Only the mission is unsanctioned and she is getting unhinged about asking me. I’m worried that if I don’t do it... she will con some other poor bastard into doing it for her.”
Fornell glared. “No, hell no. You are a Federal Agent and Jenny Shepard is not your madam. She has no right to ask it of you.”
Tony sighed because he was well aware of the fact he shouldn’t have to do it. “She is reckless. I am worried she will order an operation for the MCRT where I conveniently end up dead in the line of duty.”
Fornell rubbed his face because damn, this was more than one problem. He’d figure it out but first, he would help Tony rest, Christ the man looked tired. “Okay, first thing - bartender, two whiskey’s, top-shelf.”
Tony smirked. “So any ideas.”
Toby nodded. “Oh, more than one. Here is what is going to happen and in this order, Tony.”
Tony frowned because he couldn’t recall Fornell calling him by his first name ever. He had nothing to lose and friends were in short supply at the moment, or at least that is how it felt. “Whatever you say, Toby.”
Fornell grinned, “You will be coming home with me and you will get eight hours sleep in the guest room. I will be phoning your doctor and organising a health note for a week on grounds of exhaustion.”
Tony frowned but if he was being truthful he could do with a week off. He’d worked 110 hours at least in the last week alone. “Okay. What else because it sounded like you have a list of demands?”
Fornell snickered. “I want you to take a liaison position with the FBI whilst I deal with Madam Witch. Let me tell you, you will be doing me a favour. I have wanted to go after her for a while.”
Tony sighed. “But what about the team?”
Fornell rolled his eyes. “Son, I hate to be blunt, but what team? That is not a reflection on your abilities but you cannot keep going on the way you are when you are being blocked at every turn. A real team has your back, you may have forgotten that but I will show you how it is supposed to be Tony.”
“You have a daughter Toby, you don’t need to look after me.”
Fornell shook his head. “I choose who to care about, so you let me worry about it ... besides Emily is going to take one look at you and want to adopt you.”
Tony doubted it because in his experience, children tended to hate him. “If you say so.”
“Just you watch.”
Tobias hated when good people were treated like crap. He wasn’t naive as that happened every day but if he could step in and help - he would. He dragged Tony to his taxi and took him back home. In a twist of fate, Emily was actually at home but had gone over to a friend’s house. When she got back home an hour later she studied the man sleeping on the couch for a minute then dragged her father into the kitchen. “Daddy, who it that?”
“That is Tony. He is a Special Agent I am friends with Em’.”
She sighed. “Why does he look sad?”
You had to hand it to kids they always had a way of getting to the heart of the matter. They had also yet to develop that filter that stopped people from asking those type of awkward questions. “His friends have not been kind and he needs your help Em’. You’ll help me remind him that people care.”
She nodded excited by the prospect of helping her Daddy and she hated to see how sad the pretty guy looked. “Will he be like a big brother?”
Toby wouldn’t say no to the idea. “You’ll have to ask him Em’ but I have never known anyone immune to your pout.”
She yawned. “I’m tired so I am going to bed.”
Toby kissed the top of her head. “Goodnight kiddo.”
He waited until his house was quiet before he made the necessary call to someone - it was better there were no witnesses because the mollycoddling treatment of Gibbs was over. The man had had long enough for his Mexican siesta - it was time to remember his responsibilities.
~*~
Fornell waited until the phone had connected. “It is time to come back and fix the mess your ex-redhead is causing.”
Gibbs growled. “I’m retired. DiNozzo can handle her.”
Fornell snorted. “You had a bash to the head, Jethro. You never told me you lost your guts.”
“How dare you!” Gibbs shouted down the phone but was more telling was that he didn’t put the phone down.
Still, if Gibbs though that was bad - Fornell was just warming up. “I dare because DiNozzo is your son in all but blood, and the boy has been run ragged by his supposed family as they can’t handle the fact you ran away and left them all on their own. He is practically the MCRT on his own for all the effort the other two are putting in and every citation DiNozzo or any of the other team leads attempt to write up for McGee and David are blocked by your ex-bitch.”
“Why is she trying to isolate DiNozzo?” Gibbs asked as that behaviour could only be explained in such a way.
“Oh, this is the best part. She asked him to be a part of an unsanctioned operation to go undercover and seduce the Frog’s daughter.”
Gibbs memory was shaky at best right now but the conversation had allowed some things to shake free even though they were all jumbled up. He thought he hated DiNozzo as he seemed to remember every head-slap he’d given the agent. This was a completely different conversation, he knew Fornell and the man had never lied to him and a few things were becoming clearer. As they were speaking and Fornell said that DiNozzo was all but his son - he flashed to a hospital scene. DiNozzo, no Tony, had been dying from the plague. It had terrified him, just the thought Tony might die. That was not the feelings you had for someone you hate.
As the conversation continued and Fornell mentioned the operation Jenny was trying to launch, he recoiled. “DiNozzo is gay. She is not that much of a bitch.”
Fornell snorted. “Oh, but she is, after all, Grenouille is the one who she blames for her father’s death.”
Gibbs did remember how rabid Jenny was about her Dad’s death and subsequent label as a traitor. In that context, yes he could believe she would order a relationship and operation. “She is abusing her position?”
“Almost certainly, Gibbs I just all but ordered Tony’s doctor to put him on a week’s leave. The kid has been working hundred-plus hour weeks just to keep the MCRT afloat and as the lead team.”
Gibbs snorted. “He would, not wanting to let go of the title. Is he getting no support from any of them? Not even Ducky?”
Fornell wanted to punch the man, he was stubborn but not usually obtuse. “Gibbs, they are taking their anger out on him for you leaving. He acts like a hardass, they say he is not you. If he leads his own way then they tell him, that is not how Gibbs would do it. It’s a wonder that the only thing he is suffering from is exhaustion.”
“Where is he now?”
Fornell rolled his eyes, it was a little too late for Gibbs to play the protective role. “He is asleep on my couch and Em’ is looking to adopt him.”
Gibbs sighed realising just how much could go wrong in such a short space. “You’ll look after him?”
Fornell growled. “Of course I will but it should be you!”
Gibbs growled right back. “I’m on my way but watch his six until I can.”
Fornell was not finished with his phone calls, he had one more to make, to Charlie, his boss. “Hey Charlie, so I need to make something happen and I think you will like it.”
The FBI director could hear the restrained glee in his Deputy’s voice. “What is it?”
“I need to force the issue of DiNozzo being a liaison for the FBI. You’ll love this because right now he will agree.”
He knew that would have Charlie’s attention because it hadn’t been the first time the FBI had made overtures to DiNozzo. “Why? What is going on?”
Fornell snorted. “It seems there is something rotten at the heart of NCIS, I will be investigating it but DiNozzo may end up as collateral.”
Charlie could hear the protectiveness in his old friend’s voice that was his papa bear voice. “I’ll make the phone call, in fact, he could help with the threat against Aaron Hotchner.”
Fornell would be delighted to introduce Tony to the BAU as it would be a good fit for his skills. “I will take him there myself and let Hotchner know he doesn’t have a choice.”
“Have fun.”
Oh, Fornell was about to cause a ruckus - he was going to have as much fun as possible for all the bullshit and politics he was going to have to wade through. There had to be some advantage to the situation. Oh, and that and having to watch Gibbs squirm his way back into DiNozzo’s good books. He was going to make sure DiNozzo doesn’t let the guy off too easily.