Displeasing Moments

Diclaimer: I do not own NCIS or any of the characters associated or mentioned in this story. CBS and Paramount own everything but the plot. I own the plot and the words written in this story.

Author's Note: Hey guys! This is the first story I've published on here in a very long time. It's been years since I published anything. And it's also my very first NCIS story. I know I never finished updating my other stories but they are long gone. Sorry about that. I've never stopped writing over the past few years, just never published any of them. They're all just bits and pieces. But I plan on trying to make them whole stories. But from now on, I'm just going to publish more mature stuff, from what I used to write.

Summary: Even after Gibbs telling Senior that his son had almost died from Pneumonic Plague, Senior never questioned his son about it and Tony never told him why he didn't tell him. ONE-SHOT. MINOR REFERENCES TO "SWAK".

"Son, why didn't you ever tell me you almost died?"

Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo winced as he carefully pulled his jacket suit sleeve over his injured right arm, trying not to aggravate the pain any further. Once he had it all the way up, he slipped his good arm inside the other sleeve, pulling the jacket over his shoulders. He sighed to himself as he took his time as he fastened the buttons up. Daily activities were much harder than usual with his current injury, even the small and simple things like getting dressed. But he managed, as he always did. After all, it wasn't the first time he had been injured in the line of duty. And he had learned from those previous occurrences of getting shot or having bones broken, etc. He had found new creative ways to do things. But the task of getting dressed with an injury, such as a healing bullet wound to the arm, well, it was still difficult.

A week previous, the NCIS team had arrived to apprehend the murderer of a marine, who's case they had been solving. The marine had been brutally stabbed by his own wife whilst he was on leave. As the team worked the case, they discovered the wife had been taking anti-depressants for her clinical Depression. It was soon revealed that the wife had been keeping a criminal record secret for several years, even from her husband. Abby had discovered the wife had committed the murder of a previous boyfriend several years ago, but somehow had gotten a lighter sentencing, after the results of a print found at the crime scene came back. Instantly, this had created suspicions and she became a suspect. They had found the murder weapon which she had managed to kept hidden away all those years, along with proof that it was used previous in the killing of her boyfriend. Her prints had been all over it and had matched to those prints found at the crime scene. With that, they had enough evidence to arrest her for the murder.

The team had gone to the home to arrest the wife but when they had arrived at the location, they had found it abandoned. It seemed the wife had taken the majority of her belongings like her clothes, and had attempted to go on the run. But it didn't take the team to catch up to her, after putting out a BOLO.

When the team arrived at her last known previous location to apprehend her, it hadn't been pretty. Tony had moved to handcuff her when she suddenly grabbed his gun. She had held them at gunpoint and threatened to shoot. McGee had been able to talk her down, or at least thought he did, until she had suddenly raised the gun again towards Tony. The second she did, she had took a random shot and it had hit Tony in his right arm.

In the two seconds after Tony had been shot, Gibbs had instantly took shots at her and she died almost immediately, not before Gibbs had the chance to express his anger towards her for mainly two reasons – one for murdering a marine who had only been guilty of serving his country, and the second, for shooting his agent. And Gibbs had been major pissed off at Tony being shot. And everyone knew how protective Gibbs was when it came to a member of his team being hurt, especially when it came to Tony.

As the woman died, she had managed to say she had killed her husband because he was to 'blame' for her depression due to him never being at home, despite the fact he was a marine serving for his country in Iraq. She didn't say those actual words, more like 'It was his fault. He left me.' Those had been her last words. The case was closed.

Tony had been taken straight to the hospital to have the wound treated. It hadn't been serious but the doctors had wanted to keep him in for a night for observation, merely to make sure he didn't develop an infection. The next day, he had been released and had been put on pain medication. Despite the bullet wound had just been a through-and-through, it had hurt Tony like hell. But now because of him being shot, he had to keep his arm bandaged and in a sling whilst it healed somewhat.

Tony picked up his sling and he gently placed his arm inside it. He couldn't help but groan as he pulled the strap over his head onto his shoulder. He took a deep breath to try and ease the pain. Definitely the worst part. But he could rest easy now his arm was immobilized. Well, not as easy as he hoped. His arm was the least of his worries right now.

For the past two days, his father had been in town and unfortunately; he had been staying with Tony in his apartment. It was unfortunate because it never ended well when his Father was in town, and it had gone even worse the last time he had stayed at his apartment. He cringed at the thought. But Tony had decided to give his Father another chance, so he had granted him permission into his apartment, as long as he followed the rules. So far, he had, which was a small relief but Tony knew in a heartbeat how quickly things could change and take a turn for the worst.

Senior had started trying a little lately to make things better between their relationship but it still would never be enough for Tony. He could never trust his Father, not after all the countless times he had been left with nothing but hurt and disappointment during his life. Not to forget all the times he had conned people over the years. Tony knew he would never be able to forgive him for those things that had caused him pain. But at the end of the day, he was still his Dad. He still loved the man.

There was a knock at the front door. Tony already knew it was his boss, who had insisted and practically ordered the man to let him drive him to and from work. As Tony had injured his arm and was on pain medication, he wasn't allowed to drive.

Tony went to answer the door but he stopped for a moment when he heard his Father's voice. "Agent Gibbs, we meet again."

He didn't hear Gibbs respond to his Father, only the call of his name. "DiNozzo!"

Tony quickly headed out of his bedroom and into the main living room, his eyes instantly laying on his boss and his Father who seemed to be in the middle of a stand off with their eyes. Not a thing Tony wanted to witness, already knowing the result, which in his mind wouldn't end well for his Father. But who could blame Gibbs. "Oh hey boss." He greeted with a smile as he looked at Gibbs.

"You ready?"

"Yeah, just need to grab my-" Tony began walking over to the wall where he stored his vast collection of DVDs to collect his gun and credentials when he was stopped as his Father interrupted him.

"Agent Gibbs, I'd like a minute alone with my son. If that's acceptable to you." DiNozzo Senior spoke in a bitter tone to Gibbs. It was clear the two men weren't on the best of terms, as per usual. It was understandable – Senior clearly wasn't comfortable with the idea of his son being closer to Gibbs than Tony was to himself; and there was Gibbs, the over-protective Father figure that he had been almost from the start of Tony's time of being an NCIS agent, who was angry at the man for abandoning his son and beating him so many times as a child.

And Gibbs had the right to be angry. Gibbs was the person that always sat by Tony's bedside whenever he was sick or injured. He was the one that helped him get through each of those occasions. He was the one that kept him fighting. He was the one that constantly reminded Tony he was a good person. He was the one that protected him and had his six, not his Father. He was always the one. Gibbs had taken it as his responsibility from the moment Tony had become one of his team, his family. He had felt it was his duty. He knew Tony needed balance and stability in his life and he was the one who helped him stay down the right path. And he knew that one day, when he was ready, Tony would lead his own team, where he would guide them and show them the ropes, teaching them how to become great agents like he had become.

But Gibbs was more proud of the man Tony had become, more than anything, especially over the last several years. And it made him proud to know that he was a part of it, even it was a small part. But then he was angry again at the thought of Senior not even trying to know that man he had become.

And it was clear to Gibbs that Tony didn't want to talk to his Father, alone. The slightly nervous look that spread across his face as he looked at his boss was clear to Gibbs. It had obviously gone unnoticed by his Father though.

Gibbs glared at the man, not phased in the slightest by his demeanor. He knew it wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation for the younger agent. Gibbs' gut told him that. And it also told him to stay put. All week, Gibbs had been more protective of Tony since the shooting, especially with his Father having been around the last few days. Gibbs was more on the edge than usual. He knew exactly what Anthony DiNozzo Senior was capable of and he knew of the things Tony had experienced as a child. He knew of the damage it had caused to Tony.

Tony noticed Gibbs didn't want to leave either but he decided to be a man and talk to his Father. He looked at Gibbs and nodded slightly, gesturing that he could do this. No words needed to be spoken between the two men. They had built too much trust and understanding over the years. They had each other's six – always. But if one said they could handle it, the other trusted that decision.

So without even a single word, Gibbs stepped out of the room, respecting Tony's decision; closing the door behind him and the two DiNozzo's were left alone.

"You actually want to talk, after all these years?" Tony scoffed, not looking at the man as he starred at his DVD collection. He spoke in an equal bitter tone, as soon as the door had shut, to in which his Father had spoken moments ago to Gibbs.

"I'd like to try."

"We both know DiNozzo's aren't good conversationalists, isn't that right Dad?" As he emphasized 'Dad', he whirled around to face the man who was almost never present in his childhood. "Or has it only ever seemed that way?" He looked his Father in the eyes, moving to stand in front of him.

"Son, why didn't you ever tell me you almost died?" Senior spoke as he looked at his son seriously, cutting straight to the chase, obviously not wanting to speak about that subject.

"On which occasion are you referring, Dad?" Tony replied in a bitter tone. "When I almost died from Pneumonic Plague, or what about the times I was held hostage, or what about when my car was blown up, or what about the times I was shot, or what about all the times I've been sick in the hospital almost dying?"

Senior was shocked. "The Plague." He paused. "What happened on all the other times?"

"Gee I don't know Dad, why don't you ask your assistant? I'm sure she knows more than you do."

The older man sighed. He already knew where this conversation was going which is exactly why he didn't want to speak about it. Somehow, their conversations always seemed to end in the same way – an argument. And it always became the same subject – why he hadn't been there. "Son, I know I haven't been there lately-" He was interrupted.

"Lately?! You haven't been there since Mom died. You haven't been there for any of my life. I was eight years old for crying out loud! Eight Dad! For over thirty years, I've had to rely on myself. I've had to be independent. I've had to trust my own instincts. My own flesh and blood abandoned me, you, abandoned me, when I needed you the most. Yeah I get it, I understand, you lost your wife but you weren't the only one that lost her. I lost her too Dad. I lost my Mom. I had to grow up without her, with just memories of her being so sick and dying. You think that's easy on a kid, huh?" Tony paused as he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "You left me there, alone, in a hotel room for days. Let's face it, you would have never even remembered to come back if it weren't for the room service bill I left you with."

"Anthony-"

"It's Tony. We might share the same name but we are not the same."

"Tony, please just listen to me."

"Why should I huh? You've never wanted to hear anything I've wanted to say. You know why I didn't tell you I had the plague? You really want to know?" He snapped, not being able to prevent his anger any longer from getting the best of him.

"Son, yes I do."

"When I was lying there in the hospital bed, under the blue lights, surrounded by the confined space of the glass walls, suffocating and choking from the lack of oxygen, coughing and spewing up my own blood, I actually thought about calling you. All I wondered when I was recovering was why you weren't there. Everyone else was there. My own boss for crying out loud was there, but you weren't Dad. And to think, he convinced me to call you. And when I did, I was just left with the same old message from your assistant. That 'you were out of town and would get back in touch when you came back'. But the funny thing is, you never got back in touch."

"I never received any messages."

"Well you wouldn't, would you?"

"It was never my attention to hurt you Junior-"

Tony interrupted the man again. "Well, you succeeded. And to think, I actually spend the majority of my life worrying about what you thought and why you were never there." He chuckled to himself. "But I see it now Dad, the picture's very clear now." He paused. "You never wanted me in the first place."

"That's not true."

"Tell me how it's not!" The older man hesitated and Tony waited for a response that never came. "Exactly. You can't even lie to my face with more excuses."

"Son-"

"Even when Mom was still alive, you still were never there. You could have made the time if you'd wanted to. You weren't even there when she was dying. I always was the one taking care of her. I was the one who made sure she took her medication. I was the one that had to pour the alcohol down the sink each time she tried to drink. I was the one that had to feed her and bathe her Dad. I was always the one!" Tony repeatedly pointed himself on the chest as tears continued to threaten to fall but he refused to let them. He kept his mask, his strong demeanor in check. "I'll always remember that day, as long as I live. I sat there and watched her slowly pass away. Alone. Not one person cared enough to be there for her other than me. I cried for the nurses and doctors to phone you for you to be there, to see your dying wife just one last time. I cried to them for hours after she slipped away into her sleep. I had to sleep in the hospital that night because no one was there to take me home. The only comfort I had that night were the movies they took the time to watch with me. It was three days before you came back. They had been trying to contact you for three days to tell you. They were going to put me in foster care Dad. And for some forsaken reason, you stopped them. You convinced them you were this great father." He laughed to himself in disbelief.

Senior was in complete shock and at a complete loss for words.

"Yeah this great so-called 'Father' that frequently came back from trips away, leaving me with barely enough food, and no way to contact you. The so-called 'Father' who beat his son whenever he screwed up, and sometimes, for no reason whatsoever, just because he thought it was 'acceptable'. The so-called 'Father' who shipped his only child off to boarding school at twelve years old so he didn't have to deal with him anymore. But when you went bankrupt and I had to leave the school because you couldn't afford it any longer, you made this big promise that things would change. But that was just another lie. It was exactly the same the second time round; only it was different because I was older so I guess you figured I could just take it. I think I would have preferred to be in foster care after all. But now you mention it, I would have, if it weren't for Mom fighting to protect me all time."

"Let's just face it, you never have been a Father to me. You had enough years and chances to try and be involved in my life but like always, you put yourself first. I guess Junior has always been second best right?"

He didn't respond. He was at a complete loss for words. Tony had really taken the words out of his mouth.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Had expected as much." Tony walked back over to his DVD collection and took out his gun and credentials from the box. 'I'm going and I expect you to be gone by the time I come back. Take all your stuff and go off and be with wife number six or whichever she is now. But don't expect me to care anymore because I'm done." As he spoke, he settled his gun into his holster, after making sure the safety was on, then putting his credentials in his pocket along with his medication. He pulled his backpack over his good shoulder.

"I'll stay in touch." That was the last thing he spoke to his Father, knowing it would hurt the man. It was always what Senior would say when he would leave Tony when he was a child, knowing he wouldn't be coming back any time soon.

With that, he stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him, not looking back once. He headed out of the building and over to where Gibbs' had parked his car. He got in the passenger side. Gibbs and he shared a look. And without a word, Gibbs immediately knew the conversation hadn't gone well. Gibbs looked at him to say 'what happened'.

Tony knew what that look meant and he simply replied with a shrug, "Same old." He spoke it like it was nothing but Gibbs knew the truth and pain behind that message. It was all that needed to be said. At that moment, Gibbs wanted to storm back into Tony's apartment and make the man listen but right now, he knew Tony needed to just get away and his anger wouldn't solve any problems so he turned the key in the ignition and just drove.

Hope you guys enjoyed it and please comment what you think about my first NCIS story. Thanks.