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THE WITCH IN MY LIFE (16910 words)
Tony knew that most of the people behind this op didn’t believe he could pull it off. They were expecting him to fuck up early on and be killed or maimed, opening the door for some kind of deal or someone else to try again. He knew he was invited to this operation because of his surname. Not that the police in Philadelphia or even Peoria knew his conman of a father, but if he was a DiNozzo, he certainly had a better chance, or even insight, on the Macaluso dealings, right? After all, he was of Italian descent, so he understood the Mafia mentality, right? They were on the last legs of the 1990s, and prejudice and stereotypes were well and alive, thank you very much.
The truth was that Tony didn’t care about their prejudice. He was ready to leave the Peoria Police department with its stringent attitude and lack of open mindedness towards his unorthodox investigative methods. He did more than his fair share of undercover work in Peoria because he was adaptable and quick on his feet, no matter the situation. The Brass were glad he brought results and were happy to brag about the number of cases closed or criminals off of the street but not interested in offering him promotion opportunities.
So when the FBI Organized Crime department came knocking, after hearing about him from an informant, DiNozzo was happy to fall down into the stereotype rabbit hole and move to Philly to infiltrate the Macaluso family business.
And here he was, over a year on this undercover operation, getting as high up as someone could be when not carrying the Macaluso surname. Not that Big Mike didn’t offer him that. Eight months into the op and the Macaluso patriarch asked him point blank if he wanted to marry his daughter, Bianca, and become third in command, just behind Mike Jr. Tony was in shock at the offer but was still able to dance around it, without losing face. Around 14 months on and the offer for an adult adoption was made midway through a family dinner. He almost choked to death on that one. Once more he danced around it and still survived in the family hierarchy, even if Mike Jr was not happy with all the attention he got from the patriarch.
Now the end of this double life seemed right there on the horizon, getting closer and closer. For all he liked undercover and police work, he was getting a bit worn out because he only had his FBI handler to talk to outside the job, and the guy wasn’t the friendlier sort.
The thoughts were rolling around his head while Tony walked towards the dingy apartment he was renting. Between Macaluso rules to not flaunt any extra money and the FBI being extra vigilant so DiNozzo wouldn’t fall to the wrong side of the law, Tony was always short of cash. His police salary with hazardous duty allowances for the dangerous work was being deposited in a DC bank account under his real name. Antonino Serrano, the enforcer who was the quickest to climb up the Macaluso hierarchy had to make do, because even with his meteoric ascension it wasn't like he dealt with the accounts.
It was funny how he found the best living option in the middle of the student area, closer to the University of Pennsylvania. Whenever he had the time to escape the Macaluso and FBI watch dogs, Tony found refuge in one of the university libraries and would start perusing the books and information related to their offer in Criminology masters. Maybe when this case was closed, he could further his education and find a police district that would value his efforts.
His introspection was interrupted by the sounds of a scuffle ahead, in a darker part of the pathway. DiNozzo sighed, not wanting to get involved in any petty crime going around in the area. His Antonino Serrano legend was rock solid and the cops wouldn’t believe him if he said he wasn’t involved in whatever was going on. Mike Jr would make his life miserable if he had to interfere and get him out of jail.
The shout of “Oh, no, you don’t, fiend!” in what was clearly a young woman’s voice pushed all doubts and hesitation from Tony’s mind. He quickened his steps, trying to still keep quiet and access the situation before interfering. Tony stopped a few steps away, mouth dropping open, surprised by what was happening in front of him.
One guy was doubled over, holding his privates, and slowly dropping to the floor. The other one was trying to pull a big shoulder bag from the hands of a slender blond woman who was fighting back with an unexpected strength. The second guy wasn’t much taller than the girl, but certainly stockier and he might have won the tug of war for the bag if the young woman hadn’t just advanced a couple of steps, raised her knee and got the man between the legs. DiNozzo winced in sympathetic pain. The thief doubled at the waist, one hand still holding the handles of the bag, the other one covering the painful area, but he was no match for the female warrior. The girl pulled the bag forcefully while one leg swiped under the man’s ones, making him tumble down.
She nodded firmly, keeping an eye on the pair writhing in pain on the floor in front of her. “I hope that will teach you both not to try to steal someone else’s PhD research, even before they can finish it!” She pulled the handles over on shoulder and took a couple of steps back. She looked around, trying to check her surrounds and jumped a bit, disconcerted at seeing Tony standing there, mouth still open before the scene.
“If you are with them…” she started.
Tony was quick to raise his hands in a surrender gesture, shaking his head, trying to compose himself. “No, no… I heard you shout, thought you might be in trouble…” He smiled openly, really impressed with her competence. “But clearly not. Well done with the wanna-be thieves. I’m sorry you were in that situation, but glad you were able to defend yourself.”
“Oh, yeah,” she seemed uncertain now that the adrenaline was coming down. “My father made sure I could defend myself most of the time…” She took another step away from the pair still breathing hard on the floor.
“Well, it’s obvious that you don’t need a knight,” Tony gestured towards the men down with a smirk. “But would you like to walk together as far as the dormitories? I certainly could do with the company. You never know what’s lurking in the shadows nowadays,” he joked.
“Well…” She hesitated some. “Do you live in the dorms?”
“Oh, no. I rent a studio in the building a couple streets after Stouffer. Never thought it would be one of the cheapest places I could find in Philly,” he offered.
She looked around again but before she could ask any more questions the two thugs started to get up and DiNozzo moved to her side.
“Let’s not dwell. You don’t need to keep me company all the way, just enough not to be around here when these two are able to walk again,” he motioned for her to move ahead of him.
She looked at the two men and then moved to Tony’s side. “I don’t know your name…”
DiNozzo didn’t recognize the thugs but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t know his legend. So in a split-second decision, he gave her real name. “Tony, I’m Tony.”
“I’m Tabitha,” she offered, looking one more time towards the men trying to stand up and twitching her nose in a very cute way.
There was some noise at their backs, as if the men had fallen back again, but DiNozzo didn’t look, just kept walking, trying to herd the girl away from the scene. He would prefer nobody else see them and jeopardize his last 14 months or so of undercover work.
They walked side by side for another block, not talking but stealing glances at each other. They stopped at a corner by a coffee shop that was still open. Tony would have to walk two more blocks to get to his apartment. He knew there was a dorm another couple of blocks after turning right.
“Ah, I think I’ll stop here for a coffee or something,” Tabitha said, fiddling with the bag’s handles and an uncertain smile.
“Of course!” Tony backed a step from her, looking toward the way they came. “I think we’re in the clear. The guys won’t risk another encounter with you,” he said, trying to lower her tension.
“Oh, I hope so,” she pulled the bag closer to her body. “There’s 2 years of work in here towards my PhD. I would hate to lose it!” She said firmly.
“Oh, I’ll bet. Well, good luck with your research and all,” he gestured aimlessly. “And maybe avoid dark paths for a while. Next time you might encounter the Big Bad Wolf and what would Red Riding Hood say about you stealing her thunder?”
Tabitha’s laugh was spontaneous and rich. “That brings back memories…” she whispered. “Oh, I’ll be more careful, I promise,” she smiled more openly and relaxed. “Thanks for stopping by anyway and walking with me.”
“It was for my protection, I swear,” Tony raised his left hand like he might make an oath. He waved while taking some steps backward. “So… Goodbye…”
The young woman smiled back. “Farewell…”
Tony laughed. Tabitha waved in goodbye and they spoke together. “So long...”
They stared for one more moment before moving into different directions, still glancing at each other’s retreating backs. Tabitha stumbled while entering the coffee shop and Tony bumped onto an older man close to the pedestrian crossing.
He shook his head to clear it. “Not the time, DiNozzo, you have a job to finish. And what would a doctorate student want with the likes of you?” he murmured softly to himself.
*TWIML*
It was so close, DiNozzo could taste it! The Macaluso accountant got himself in big trouble, sleeping with the underaged daughter of Mike Jr’s best friend. That the guy was also one of the most ruthless enforcers in the family was just the icing of the cake. Not that Tony was on the fence over the whole situation. He didn’t condone the beating the guy and his friends gave the accountant, but the girl was barely 15 years old! The guy was certainly a pervert! He was glad that Gina, Mike Jr’s wife and Bianca, his sister, had taken the girl under their wings and helped her understand that the man was taking advantage of her and not really in love. Teenagers… DiNozzo remembered his own crushes and was happy now that he wasn’t ever taken advantage of. Probably pure luck there.
In the end, the whole affair gave him the opportunity to pick up the books with the family's detailed accounting information. DiNozzo had collected enough details before to make the FBI happy and able to go digging into Macaluso’s business, but these accounting books would just seal their fates. And maybe would be able to bring his undercover work to an end.
He stopped at Penn University library to make copies of the books so he could return them before anyone else got suspicious. He would then drop the information for his handler, and, of course, send a copy to his own P.O. Box for insurance purposes. Not that he didn’t trust the FBI (he really didn’t), but better safe than sorry, huh?
DiNozzo had just sealed both envelopes and finished addressing them at one of the tables in the library and was collecting his belongings to go to the post office when someone bumped into him with a big bag. He turned to get out of the way and came face-to-face with the girl from a couple weeks ago, the slender, blond-haired warrior who kicked two thugs where it really hurt.
“Tabitha…” he murmured.
“Oh, Tony, I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking…” she stuttered.
He waved away any excuses. “No problem. I was in the way…”
They smiled at each other. DiNozzo didn’t know what had got into him. He was always a smooth talker, really slick with the ladies. He hadn’t been this tongue-tied or awkward since he was 15 and at his first prom at RIMA.
“What a coincidence to bump into you here,” Tabitha said. “This isn't my normal library,” she explained after Tony raised an eyebrow, half in question. “But I was in a hurry to make some copies and this one is closer,” she finished, flushed.
“Yeah, coincidence…” He waved the envelope in his hands. “Me too, I mean, I came to make copies…” What was wrong with him! Such a lame commentary. “How’s your research going, then? No one else tried to steal it?” Tony teased.
Tabitha smiled. ‘No, no more attempts. I finished it. Thus, the copies,” she shook the big bag.
“Oh, congrats!”
“Haven’t presented it yet to the board…”
“I’m sure you’ll do great! After all, a veritable warrior…”
“Thanks for the confidence.”
“Anytime…”
They went back to stare, lost in each other eyes, until someone pushed Tony with an angry murmured “Excuse me!” and cut between them.
“Oh!” Tabitha looked around, almost like she needed to remember where she was. “Yes… I need to go…” She murmured.
“Yeah,” Tony agreed sadly. “Me too.” He waved the envelopes again. “Need to post this…”
“Well then… Goodbye…”
“Farewell,” he returned with a quick laugh.
“So long!” They again said together.
They waved goodbye and once more walked their separate ways.
*TWIML*
They meet again at the Philadelphia airport; both bound to Baltimore. Tony could have driven down but it would be better for his health if he left the city and even the state with more company than a solo 2 hour and something drive would be.
Macaluso Senior was in prison, Mike Jr would be on the FBI watch list for the rest of his life but Gina, his wife, was an unknown at this point. He knew she loved the guy, and they had 3 kids together, but Tony was unsure if the woman would bear the scrutiny for long.
Fair Bianca, the Macaluso daughter who Tony had avoided marrying, had moved west, running away from the whole thing. Mama Macaluso would stand with her husband and son until the end but it was the older woman that made sure that the dirt wouldn’t stick to her daughter. Tony helped, quietly, to extricate the young woman from the whole mess, knowing she was never part of anything and could be used as a pawn by all sides. Mama Macaluso just wanted her little girl safe, so she supported her husband’s verdict that the man that apparently sold the family was only in danger if he ever set foot in Philadelphia again of his own free will. Tony could live with that.
DiNozzo sat by the widow, knowing there wasn’t a real safe place in a plane, but his preflight check didn’t point out for any bounty hunter or anything, so he fastened his seatbelt, made sure his carry-on bag was safely under the seat in front of him, and took a deep breath, trying to relax. He was leaving Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, probably to never come back. “Hello, Baltimore, here I come,” he thought, trying to inject enthusiasm into the idea.
It was a small plane and there were only two seats on each side of the corridor, so Tony kept an eye on people coming onto the plane to try and identify his seat buddy. He got distracted for a moment listening in to a brief and heated discussion two rows behind him. The stewardess approached the feuding couple quickly, with a fixed smile and short phrases, resolving the issue. DiNozzo turned to watch the entrance again at the same time that a slender blonde was finishing shoving a bag into the overhead compartment. She huffed on the last push and closed the door firmly. When she looked down to check her seat, their eyes met in surprise.
“Tony?!” She exclaimed, a blush quickly covering her cheeks, smile spreading to her lips easily.
“Tabitha! This is a great surprise!” DiNozzo couldn’t hold back on the pleasure he felt at stumbling on the gorgeous young woman again.
“I might think you’re stalking me,” she joked while sitting and pulling the seatbelt over her lap.
“I was here first, so if someone is stalking…” Tony smiled lopsided, “What is with that girl that makes me feel like an awkward teenager all over again?” He thought.
Tabitha giggled and swallowed it quickly, her cheeks heating up. “It’s funny how we keep bumping into each other… Not that I mind,” she commented, finishing settling herself in the seat.
“Yeah,” Tony agreed. “My Nonna would say we are connected by magic,” he grinned.
Her smiled shrivelled suddenly, but before Tony could understand or try to fix whatever his comment caused, the young woman twitched her nose and waved her hand in a sweeping motion in front of her.
Everybody inside the plane just froze in place. People stopped halfway into their seats; a couple held still with their arms extended across the aisle. The stewardess looked funny, with her mouth open, stuck in the pose mid-speech.
DiNozzo was motionless in his seat, half turned towards the woman he was interested in, but if you looked carefully, you would identify a miniscule movement in his eyes.
Tabitha wasn’t looking though, she was standing quickly, talking out loud.
“Grandma! Grandma Endora! Come here right now! Did you do that?!” She motioned haphazardly towards the young man on the seat beside her.
With a subtle thunder sound and a puff of smoke an elderly woman appeared, sitting daintily on the back of the seats two rows in front of where Tabitha was standing. She had bright red-hair, heavy 1960s style make-up and was dressed in a colourful kaftan.
“Did what, my dear?” She asked in a condescending tone before looking around.
“Oh, my, Tabitha, still trying to blend in with mortals?”
“You know I need the paper trail for my work, Grandma,” Tabitha stated tiredly, like this was a repeated discussion. “But that’s not the issue,” she waved her hand again. “Did you bewitch Tony? Or put some kind of love spell on us?” She asked angrily.
One of the older woman’s eyebrows rose to impressive heights on her face. “Are you really asking me that, little one?” The tone had a warning in there. “I would never try to connect you with a mortal, and you should know that very well.”
Tabitha deflated, seating again. “I know… But… Who else keeps pushing me to marry? And would be capable of meddling so much?” She retorted, raising her own eyebrow accusingly towards the other woman.
“I try to set you up with a couple of nice warlocks and now I’m the devil?” Endora responded with a fake whinging.
“There were 13 warlocks that you paraded at my door, Grandma! I had to hid at Adam’s apartment to escape the onslaught!”
“Humm,” the woman, rested two fingers on her cheeks with a pensive expression. “Maybe that’s the problem… 13 isn’t the best number…” She started to move her arms but was interrupted by Tabitha's scream.
“Don’t you dare!” The young woman was on her feet again, a raised finger admonishingly. “I told you that I would find someone to love and marry when I was ready, and it didn’t need to be someone you approve of!” Tabitha huffed and crossed her arms angrily, falling back into the seat.
“And this… mortal… is what you found?” Endora asked with disdain, straightening up to look tall and imposing, which was a bit ridiculous considering she was floating on top of a couple of plane seats.
A louder thunder sound and bigger puff of smoke interrupted the conversation. When the air cleared, two men were standing in the plane aisle. The elder of the two was dressed in a classic tuxedo, including a cape and top hat. The younger one had a very smart grey suit and an air of mischief.
“Grandpa? Adam?” Tabitha asked but didn’t get up. She just got hold of the armrests of her seat, feeling she would need the support.
“Hello, pumpkin,” the older gentleman took off his hat in compliment.
“Hey there, sis,” the younger one waved cheekily.
Tabitha hid her face in her hands. “What did you two do?”
“Nothing really, my darling,” the older man started but was abruptly interrupted by Endora.
“Maurice! How dare you try to arrange a marriage between our granddaughter and a mortal?!”
“I did not try to arrange anything!”
“What is this then?” Endora waved her hand towards Tony's frozen form.
“Ah, maybe a misstep…” Maurice tried to prevaricate.
“No,” the younger man stated. “It was protection.”
The other three mobile people in the plane turned to look at him.
“What?” Tabitha asked weakly.
“How can a mortal be protection?!” Endora queried angrily.
“Oh, you actually found something…” Maurice commented delightedly.
“The whole family tree that dad started working on after his last meeting with a leprechaun that claimed the Stephens family had a debt with them really paid off when the last… candidate Grandma presented Tabitha with tried to curse her,” Adam explained.
“What?” Tabitha looked confused.
“That little toad tried to curse my granddaughter?!” Endora appeared on the other side of Adam in a puff of magic.
“I told you to stop trying to bring warlocks you didn’t know anything about to meet my little pumpkin,” Maurice tried to look menacing but one raised eyebrow from Endora and he moved quickly closer to the young woman. “The little whippersnapper came back from your quick meeting spitting mad,” he petted the young girl’s hand. “He didn’t deserve your attention, pumpkin, but maybe be more careful with your words when dismissing a young and hopeful warlocks. They can be as emotional and vindictive as any witch,” Maurice finished with certainty.
“He was a good candidate!” Endora retorted. “Third cousin twice removed, from Melania’s side. You know, your brother's third wife…?” She completed, looking at Maurice pointedly.
“If you had told me you were planning to introduce them, I would have told you that he is barely above a mortal in power and had some Fae blood that makes his side of family really unstable,” Maurice crossed his arms and looked at his ex-wife as if saying “there” like a child trying to make a point.
“What?” Tabitha was still looking between the other three, completely confused.
“Doesn’t matter what he is or if Grandma knew about him,” Adam waved between the argumentative couple. “What it matters is that Fergus did try to curse Tabitha because of her rejection. He was not powerful enough to make it stick, but he did throw some old style working there that might have brought bad luck over all the family, so I went looking for a way to mitigate it.”
“And how did you know about this half-curse?” Tabitha asked.
“Grandpa came to me.”
“The urchin uttered his threats in the middle of the Monaco casino during our weekly warlock poker competition,” Maurice answered the silent question with disdain.
“And how can a mortal be protection for any offended Fae?” Tabitha looked back to her brother.
“Well, he has Fae blood, so they cannot take offence at your rejection of Fergus. And his is a closer relationship than the little brat has too!” Adam sounded happy.
“What?” came from the other three people still moving in the plane, and all of them turned to look at the frozen body of one Tony DiNozzo.
“What do you know about him, Tabitha?” Eudora asked in a firm tone.
“Nothing, Grandma!” Tabitha squeaked. “We bumped into each other twice before today! We never really talked!”
“But there’s an attraction…” Maurice suggested.
“Yeah, well…” Not the type of conversation Tabitha wished to have with her grandparents, or even her younger brother!
“If you keep bumping into each other, then the not-curse activated,” Maurice retorted.
Adam was looking carefully on the other man’s face and caught a fleeting movement in his eyes. He gasped in surprise but asked before the others could question him.
“Remind me of the signs of a connection to magical beings’ blood, sis?”
“What are you on, Adam?! You’re the one going on about Fae blood and curses!”
“Just a simple reminder, sis.”
The young woman shrugged impatiently. “Heighten senses, some resistance to magic, usually intuitive individuals,” she stated in a droll way, like a textbook response.
“Fergus’ curse was something like you would have to be with someone of Fae blood or never marry at all,” Maurice commented, paying attention to the mortal seated by his granddaughter.
“But you said you found a way to protect her,” Eudora squinted her eyes dangerously.
“I thought only witches and warlocks benefitted from magical beings’ blood,” Adam confessed. “I put out a spell to attract a mortal with Fae blood in his family line and I believed it would protect Tabitha from the curse. Just a brief romance should be able to break a badly formulated curse that leaned heavily on old prejudices and feuds,” he finished.
“That would work,” Eudora calmed down. “What made you doubt it?”
“His eyes are moving, he’s not completely frozen by Tabitha’s time spell,” Adam pointed out.
The four magicals turned towards the man sitting motionless but all of them noticed the slight, almost imperceptible widening of his eyes.
“Oh, my stars!” Tabitha hid her face in her hands again!
“Not the time, Tabitha,” Adam said. “The frozen spell weakens as it gets farther from the caster, so you can’t hold this plane in place for much longer without causing issues.”
Endora waved her arms in a flamboyant way, the sleeves of her kaftan looking like wings flapping around. Tabitha and Tony disappeared from their seats and appeared in the aisle, by Adam’s side, with Tony still incapable of moving anything besides his eyes. Two figures took their seats, looking exactly like the young couple but no expression.
“Let me, my dear,” Maurice interjected smoothly, one hand extended. “I believe my animation spell would work better in this situation. You tend to be a tad heavy-handed. It’s your need for control, I believe,” he said with a little bite.
The older woman twisted her lips in distaste but nodded in agreement with a pout.
Maurice waved his fingers from both hands and the figures on the plane seats started to talk, like Tony and Tabitha were doing before, looking normal if nobody paid too close attention. If anyone tried to listen in, the inane talk about weather and fashion woven with a bit of aversion spell, would shift their notice quickly.
Adam took a hold of his sister’s hand and put another hand on Tony’s shoulder. Maurice nodded and Endora waved her arms again, taking the group out of the plane and let time move forward again.
*TWIML*
The group appeared in the middle of a suburban house living room. Tony could move again and after he felt he wouldn’t just flop down on the floor, he turned around, trying to identify where he was.
It seemed to be a normal, middle-class, suburban house. At Tony’s back were some stairs going up. In front of him as a fireplace, the living room had a couple of sofas facing each other with a coffee table between them. To his left he could see a small garden, or patio, separated from the house by big sliding glass doors. A bit behind his left shoulder he spotted the dining room, with an old-style wooden table and straight back chairs that he used to see in tv sitcoms and series during his childhood. To his right was a big bay window, with a couple of armchairs creating an inviting nook to talk, read or just watch life go by. The entrance door was on the far corner at the right and it looked as though there was a bedroom or an office after that. Tony expected the kitchen would be after the dining area and probably another door would connect to the garage. A very typical, standard middle-class house on the northeast coast, as far as he could see.
DiNozzo finally turned to look at the people in the room with him. Maybe his trainer at the Policy Academy would smack the back of his head for not reacting to the possible danger he was in, but Tony’s instincts were saying he could trust Tabitha. Even if he wasn’t supposed to have heard anything while stuck in the plane, he had done and that gave him the information that he was with Tabitha’s family. His instincts had helped him more than once through his life, helping him evade his father’s wrath, survive the boarding schools, his time in the university or his police training and work. So, time to trust them again.
Tony took a deep breath, a step back to be sure to see everybody in the room, crossed his arms in front of him and finally spoke.
“I don’t think what you guys did so far has anything to do with the mushrooms on my omelette this morning, so maybe start explaining this whole talk of magic, Fae, curses, etc, etc…” he unhooked his arms to wave one hand, inviting them to start talking.
“What’s so special about this… mortal, Adam?” Endora waved with arrogance.
It was Tony’s turn to raise an eyebrow at the tone.
“Grandma!” Tabitha hesitated but ended up approaching DiNozzo. “Tony… Sorry… Maybe I overreacted and you got caught in the middle…”
“Overreacted for sure! As if I would ever saddle you with a mortal!” The older woman flounced away from the pair, perching herself elegantly in the corner of one of the sofas.
“Yeah, sis, badly done,” Adam retorted with a smile. “After the warlock parade, you really thought she was desperate enough to resort to mortals?!”
“Endora can be unpredictable in her pursuits,” Maurice commented, sitting in front of Endora, on the opposite sofa.
If before Tony had been mildly surprised and a lot curious about the situation and the information being thrown about, he now was getting upset with the dismissiveness and the patent lack of respect that all the family, maybe except for Tabitha, was showing. The attitudes reminded him too much of his father and even his mother’s family after her death.
“A bit of manners would be welcome,” he cut in before anyone else could respond to Maurice’s last comment. “Anyone want to start explaining before I try my hand on this curse thing since, apparently, I have enough of this Fae blood to make it stick?”
Adam’ entertained visage changed quickly to a worried one. Endora’s eyebrow rose again, between surprised and offended. Maurice started to rise from his position as if to confront Tony directly.
“I also would like some explanation,” came the surprise comment from the back of the room, in a calm and sweet tone. “I was not expecting my family to invade today.”
Everybody turned to the area between the dining and living room, finding a blond woman, arms crossed, looking at them. She seemed to be early to mid-forties in Tony’s estimation, dressed in a nice house dress typical of the 1960s. An older man, walking with the help of a cane, came behind her. If these were Tabitha and Adam’s parents, the woman should be older than she appeared, or she had her kids when she was barely legal herself. The man, though, looked over 70 years old, and closer to Endora and Maurice’s ages.
“Mom! Dad!” came the twin calls from Tabitha and Adam, confirming DiNozzo’s assessment. With parents like Endora and Maurice, Tony was sure the woman was not forced into this marriage, and probably was offered countless opportunities to leave, so if they were still together, that was a relationship that DiNozzo could aspire to.
“I thought you and Darwin were out today, my dear,” Endora responded dismissively. “We need to sort something out and your house seemed the perfect place for a calm conversation.”
“My darling Samantha!” Maurice advanced and took the woman in his arms, setting a kiss on her brown.
“Hello, daddy,” Samantha answered sweetly, leaning for the embrace.
“Still waiting for an explanation, children,” the older man beside Samantha said in a raspy voice.
Tabitha and Adam tittered a bit, looking at each other and around the room in an uncomfortable way until the young woman exclaimed in a high-pitched tone, pointing to her brother: “It’s all Adam’s fault!”
“What?!” The young man turned to her in surprise. “I wasn’t the one that frozen half a city in place to accuse Grandma of something she would never do!”
“Well, she might not have tried to put us together, but she was the one that brought in Fergus, the sourpuss that couldn’t take a no for an answer!” Tabitha put her hands on her hips. “And you decided to spell me in some way, so there, it’s your fault too!
“I was trying to help! To not let the curse stick to you! That’s all the thanks I receive?!”
“You could have talked to me about it before doing anything!”
“You didn’t want to listen to anything about being introduced to anyone!”
“And whose fault is that, huh?! If Grandma hadn’t piled idiotic warlocks at my door, I wouldn’t be so resistant!”
“Here, young lady!” Endora rose from her spot and approached the bickering siblings. “I was trying to help and avoid the mistakes of your mother!”
“My father is not a mistake!” Tabitha screamed.
“Yeah, Grandma, I thought you were over this now,” Adam crossed his arms, posturing like a disappointed adult talking down to a child.
“I’m not fond of Durwood, for sure, but if my darling Samantha is happy, I can live with it,” Maurice commented, still embracing his daughter, smiling like he was bestowing a gift to the room.
Voices raised again amongst the group, with Samantha trying to intervene, but being drowned under the flying accusations. Tony just leaned back, resting against the stairs, arms crossed, observing the situation, trying to get a hold of what was happening. The shouting match came to a stop when a shrill whistle surprised the group. DiNozzo was impressed that the old man, Tabitha’s father, still had in him to produce that powerful sound.
“I know Endora can’t help herself, but everybody else is an adult here,” the man stated, and Tony admired the chutzpah he had to talk like that to grandma, but then, the guy should be well used to go toe to toe against her, being married for 20 something years to her daughter.
“Darrin…” the admonishing tone was full of love.
Tabitha’s father moved slowly towards the closer sofa, sitting down with a sigh, and patted his wife's hand when she followed him, and perched on the sofa’s arm.
“All in good fun, Sam,” he said with a smirk. “Now, can something clarify what this whole muss is about?”
When it seemed that everybody would start talking at the same time, Darrin raised a hand and made an “Ahh!” sound, stopping the cacophony before it started.
“Let’s try with someone that seems to know all that’s happening,” it was a total dad move how he could look down to his son, even if he was seated and the young man tower over him. “Adam?”
Adam cleared his throat. “Well, dad…” He opened and closed his mouth a few times, clearly uncomfortable, but the older man’s stare didn’t falter. The young man took a deep breath and ploughed ahead, knowing there was nothing else for it. “You know how Grandma is dead set on getting Tabitha married…”
“I don’t know why she’s focusing on me…” Tabitha murmured while Endora pursed her lips in disagreement but stayed quiet after a quelling looking from her daughter.
“You know I’m dating a witch, sis,” Adam retorted. “Brianna comes from a long line of witches and warlocks, some that grandma is even friends with,” he joked, ignoring the childish response when Tabitha stuck her tongue out. Darrin humpfed and Adam turned back to his parents. “Like I was saying, Grandma was introducing a lot of guys to Tabitha and the last one, the 13th she introduced…”
The information dump was interrupted by a disappointed and sad “Mother, you didn’t!” from Samantha.
“The other young man didn’t show up!” Endora huffed. “And that…” she waved her hands dismissively. “That feeble carrot-top couldn’t wait to be introduced to Tabitha! At least he understood the honour of even talking to one of my line,” Endora completed, leaning back into the sofa, pretending that the conversation didn’t bother her.
“Why bring him, if you didn’t think he was worth it?” Adam asked, confused.
“Fergus does have a good bloodline, but Archibald thrives in competition,” Endora gestured dismissively. “I thought if he saw there was more than one warlock interested…”
“You’re slipping, Endora,” Darrin chuckled. “If this Archibald knew you were bringing this whippersnapper, he wouldn’t think it was competition. And who wants a son-in-law called Archibald anyway?!” He completed philosophically.
“He comes from a long line of powerful witches!” Endora retorted angrily, while Tabitha, Adam and Maurice mouthed the phrase with her.
“Not the point, mother,” Samantha waved the answer away. “What did this… what’s-his-name do?”
“Well, after Tabitha rejected him…” Adam continued.
“More like ignored his existence,” Tabitha cut in.
“The guy went to complain to his father,” Adam said, ignoring his sister's comment. “Who was at the poker tournament with Grandpa,” he gestured, transferring the narration to the older man.
“I finally had a winning hand, after a long stretch fighting against too many opponents acting with dishonesty, with ungentlemanly behaviour…” Maurice was grand standing, waving his hands in a theatrical way.
“Facts, Maurice, facts,” Darrin interrupted with a dry tone. “We can watch the full play during the next Christmas dinner.”
“Humph,” Maurice re-arranged his tuxedo and put his top hat back on. “Such disrespect! I should just…” He gestured as if leaving.
“Oh, no, Grandpa!” Tabitha reached out quickly to hold the older man’s arm. “You’re staying right here and finishing telling what happened!”
DiNozzo kept quiet, observing the interaction with interest and a lot of amusement. It was clear this was a close-knit family, even with all the bickering. He sighed with a bit of envy. This here was pretty much what he always dreamt a family should be.
“For you, pumpkin, anything,” The gentleman patted Tabitha’s hand that was firmly wrapped around his forearm. “Oh, well, the little brat complained how our princess here wouldn’t give him the time of the day and started going on and on about their family Fae blood and how he could just curse her to be alone forever if she couldn’t accept Fae blood. At this point, his father, Bryce, cut him off before he could offend someone else. I won that hand,” he looked pointedly towards Darrin. “And then went to Adam here to confer. The boy stopped talking in front of his betters, but he seemed the type to run his mouth around his peers. I didn’t want to risk it.”
Darrin nodded to the other man, a discreet but clear sign of acknowledgement and thanks.
“When Grandpa came to me, I did some research and he was right to be concerned. Fergus, the carrot-top brat,” he nodded to his grandparents, “is known to cause trouble for those he considers slighted him. And there’s a lot of people that he thinks slighted him. I checked the possible curses connected to Fae blood that we could level against Tabitha or our family and decide to deploy some protective measures.”
Tony nodded to himself, agreeing with the assessment from the general comments.
“What protective measures?” Darrin asked.
“A small spell to attract people with Fae blood to Tabitha,” Adam continued, ignoring his sister huffing. “With some caveats to keep anyone that she already rejected at the very end of a long line of possibilities.”
“Seems simple enough,” Samantha said, head turned, a pensive look on her face. “What went wrong? You don’t usually make mistakes with your spells, Adam. You like to research and plan ahead too much.”
“I don’t think anything went exactly wrong,” Adam replied. “I think it’s more that Tabitha here over-reacted to the number of times they were bumping into each other.”
“I think it was something I said,” Tony finally interrupted. The whole room turned to him. DiNozzo straightened up and tried to convey confidence. “We talked about the coincidence that we keep bumping into each other, and I said something that it was like magic.”
“Yes!” Tabitha waved, like that was all the evidence needed. “I immediately thought of Grandma trying to set me up with guys and…” her voice kept going lower. “And I over-reacted,” she confessed.
“See how I’m misunderstood!” Endora stood up, waving her arms dramatically, her kaftan’s arms flapping like wings again. “All I want is the best for my grandchildren and that’s how they act!”
“You and Maurice could go rehearse somewhere else,” Darrin commented with some bite. “Like I said, the full play can be enacted next Christmas. Let’s try to solve the issue here,” he ignored the offended squawks from both his in-laws.
Samantha gulped down the laugh that was bubbling out of her and tried to focus on her children. “Okay, so the spell is working as intended,” she nodded to her son who returned the gesture with a wide smile. “But Tabitha here is tired of interference in her life.”
“Exactly!”
“I’m sure your grandparents understand and will endeavour to stay out of your, no, all our love lives,” Samantha laid a heavy ‘mom’s look’ around the room. “And you two can try to think, or talk to someone, before going out all spoiled for a fight,” she completed, now looking at her children.
“I’m behaving!” Adam whinged in the best little brother tone he polished through the years.
“I’ll try,” Tabitha nodded. “But I don’t get why the rush!”
“Well, if they want great grandkids, there’s the whole childbearing years to worry about,” Tony quipped.
“Well, she has centuries before she needs to worry about that!” Adam made a face about the thought.
“Centuries?!” Tony gulped.
“Oh, yeah, the other part of this whole mess!” Adam slapped his forehead. “It seems we need to explain magic to Tabitha’s new beau.”
“Unless you don’t like him, my dear, then we can just wipe his memories of everything,” Endora offered with sweet venom.
“Wipe memories!?” Tony took a step back, banging against the stairs and tried to think of a way to escape.
“There will be no memory wiping!” Darrin proclaimed, banging his cane on the floor. He looked at the young man trying to pretend he wasn’t scared. “At least you’ll get the explanation before the wedding.”
“Darrin!” Samantha waffled between amused and exasperated.
“What?!” The surprised question came from Tabitha and Tony at the same time.
“Like your mother said, your brother is really good with his spells,” Darrin did the same ‘looking down at you’ while seating down he did at the beginning of the conversation. “I think you two should give this a try.”
“You try to hide it, but I know that, deep down, you’re a romantic, Darrin dear,” Samatha joked, leaning to hug the man, who tried to fake a disgruntled expression but was clearly enjoying the attention.
Endora’s mouth was pursing in distaste and Maurice turned so he wouldn’t witness the public display of affection.
“So,” Samantha rearranged her position on the sofa’s arm, still holding her husband’s hand. “We are witches and warlocks,” she motioned to the group in the room.
“Except for Delwood,” Endora cut in sharply. “He’s mortal.”
“Yes,” Samantha agreed with a warning glance to her mother. “Darrin,” she emphasized the name, “is mortal but there’s leprechaun magic in his family line,” she completed.
Endora turned her face, sitting sideways on the sofa, clearly trying to avoid the comment.
“Bah,” Darrin said in his best grumpy old man grunt. “Who cares?! It only caused us trouble in the past. It seems that your Fae blood might be a good thing though.”
“Fae blood?” Tony asked weakly. He shook his head. “All this talk of magic… The jury is still out if this is happening, or if Mike Jr defied his father and got to me and my head just decided that this fantasy is better than the torture that my body should be going through.”
“Torture!?” Tabitha asked, alarmed.
“Mike Jr?” Adam said, head tilted in thought. “As in Macaluso Mike? Are you involved with them?” He asked harshly.
Tony raised an eyebrow at the tone. “Cop,” he gestured to himself. “Went undercover with the Macalusos and just skipped town to avoid a messy death after the slow wheels of justice turned enough to send Old Mike and a few lieutenants to prison.”
“Oh,” Tabitha seemed relieved, as much as Samantha. Endora looked at the young man with some interest now. The other men in the room looked at him with a bit more respect.
“Not the point, after all,” Tony waved away, uncomfortable with the worry the group seemed to be showing him. “What about magic? Witches as broom flying, pointy hats, cauldron boiling witches? And what do warlocks do? And Fae? They really exist!?” He asked curious now and more than willing to go with the flow.
“You’re taking this better than Darrin did,” Samantha commented.
“Different times, Sam,” Darrin retorted. “And context. It was our wedding night when you decided to drop this bomb on my head.”
“Ewe, dad, TMI!” Adam and Tabitha covered their ears while their parents laughed.
“I must agree,” Maurice said, sharing the same disgruntled expression with Endora.
“Yes, we can fly brooms and make potions in cauldrons,” Samantha answered with a bit of a smirk. “The pointy hat is more of a joke. Most witches, and warlocks,” he nodded towards her father, “choose a fashion style and follow it for most of their lives, their very long lives.”
“‘Warlocks’ is just what we call magical men,” Adam added. “We can do the same as witches.”
“They’re usually lazy," Endora completed in a drawn-out tone.
“Maybe we just choose better things to do with our time than interfere with other people’s life,” Maurice threw back with a bite.
“And Faes, and leprechauns exist, yes,” Samantha continued, cutting in before her parents' bickering could reach full steam. “Other magical creatures too, but most prefer to live in a different dimension, not visible to mortals.”
“Safer after the witch trials?” Tony asked.
“That started because of a feud between magical lines and got a little out of hand,” Samantha waved the subject away. “But what is your name, young man? We were all very ill-mannered not to ask or offer the information.”
“Tony,” Tabitha blurted out.
“DiNozzo,” Tony chose to offer at the same time.
“Tony DiNozzo?” Adam confirmed before a book just appeared in his hand.
“Anthony Dante DiNozzo Junior, if you want to be specific,” he declared unhappily.
“DiNozzo…” Adam was flipping through the book while his grandfather came to stop at his side.
“How can he have Fae blood?” It was Endora turn to come to stand around the book. “No Italian line has Fae blood.”
“My mother was English, her family is from Lancashire,” Tony contributed, stepping forward, also interested in the book on the other man’s hands. He remembered some fantastical stories his mother used to tell him when he was little but also how much his father despised them. And his Uncle Clive refused to discuss those tales with Tony after his mother passed away.
“Ah!” Maurice exclaimed and raised a hand like he was ready to start reciting an ode. “The Great Irish Crossing! Some magical unrest in Ireland pushed a few families to escape and Lancashire was easy enough to reach. A few families there exchanged protection for magical gifts that would drip down through generations. Not real magic, but enough to give them a leg up with finances and the like,” Maurice completed, looking around like waiting for applause.
“My mother used to tell some fantastic stories about his childhood, but her family didn’t corroborate any of it after she died, when I was eight,” Tony spoke softly.
Tabitha went to his side, putting a delicate hand on his arm. “I’m sorry you lost your mom so early, Tony.”
He just nodded in acceptance but was quick to shake the sad feelings away. They wouldn’t help now. “What does this actually mean for me?”
“Any enhanced senses?” Adam asked.
“Well, I learned to pay attention to what I hear and I’m usually really aware of my surroundings,” Tony answered with a thoughtful visage. “I really trust my instincts. Saved me more than once.”
“Yeah, pretty much what’s expected,” Adam agreed. “The more your family mingled with others with magical gifts or witches and warlocks, the more prominent these things would have become.”
“So, that’s why he met your criteria,” Darrin commented.
“Yep, enough Fae blood to count, maybe even more than Fergus, the carrot-top brat has,” Adam smiled.
“What now? What does it all mean?” Tony finally asked, uncomfortable with the silence that was spreading around the room. This situation was certainly uncharted territory for him.
“Hum…” Darrin looked around. “Adam, do you have one of your little black books to spare?”
There was some uncertainty between the group after the question, then it was like a light bulb was turned on. Maurice laughed out loud and Endora kept her pout. Samantha nodded in agreement and then Adam was pulling something from the inner pocket of his jacket. Tabitha looked between her parents, and Tony, her face a mix of hopeful and doubtful.
“Here,” Adam passed a small black notebook towards Tony. The police officer picked it up with some trepidation but it looked normal enough. He turned it around in his hands. It was a thin, lined notebook, the same Tony himself used before to make notes about cases he was working on.
“And this will help how?” DiNozzo waved the notebook around.
“It’s magical,” Adam said laughingly.
“Duh,” Tony gestured as if dismissing the comment. “I would expect it to be, all things considered so far.”
“It’s for communication,” Samatha explained before more bickering started. “Adam adapted some spells to allow the notebook to be used by mortals. Magicals can hear each other when we call,” she continued. “That’s what happened, when Tabitha asked for mother to show up. Dad and Adam were probably attuned enough to pick up the call,” Samantha threw her ‘mom’s look’ at the other two.
“We can send messages and what not between us,” Adam clarified. “Someone, witch or warlock, would have to be paying attention to hear a mortal call, though. And they won’t hear us, unless we pop right in front of them.”
“Ah, not helpful,” Tony nodded, fidgeting with the notebook.
“What are you saying, dad?” Tabitha asked her father directly, arms embracing herself, feeling uncertain.
“I’m saying that even if you bumped into each other because of this preventive spell,” Darrin waved towards his son. “There’s something there. You were not exactly upset to meet the young man,” he waved towards Tony now. “What would you have done during the trip if this thing hadn’t happened?” Darrin turned to Tony, gesturing again to emphasise the group.
Tony tightened his hold on the notebook and looked up to face the young woman. “I would have asked where she’s going and if she was staying in Baltimore. I would try to score a date,” he smiled a little depreciatively. “I don’t know how much of this is magic, but I never felt that attracted to anyone, or so much out of depth. I’m usually not clumsy around girls,” he confessed.
“Magic cannot fake attraction or love,” Samantha stated while Endora huffed in disagreement. “When spells or potions are used, it’s more like an obsession, an uncontrollable feeling pushing and pulling towards the object of the magic. It feels really alien from your own nature,” she clarified, looking at her mother. “We should know. We went through it enough times,” she uttered caustically.
“I have a position at the Smithsonian,” Tabitha declared, turning towards Tony, her posture more relaxed. “Pretty standard hours and since it’s a research position, I don’t have to work weekends,” she smiled openly.
Tony ran a hand over his head, messing up his hair. “I was offered a position with the Baltimore Police Department, 3 months before I do the Sergeant exam, but I want to go for Detective in the next year or so. It’s shift work anyway, so I’ll have weekend work,” he took a step closer to the young woman.
“We can organize ourselves and meet when you’re free. It should be easier for me to move my hours around,” Tabitha stepped closer to Tony.
“I don’t have a place yet, but I can try to find something more in the direction of Washington and then the drive won’t be too much,” Tony had a soft smile on, the black notebook was easily shoved into his trousers back pocket.
“If we don’t have a lot of time, maybe I can just pop to you,” Tabitha laughed.
“You don’t want to bring too much attention to it, so better go around with your car, so people think you’re driving anyway,” Adam said, hands in his trousers pockets now. “You can do the same for Tony here, if he drives to see you.”
The three youngest in the room nodded in agreement, Tony and Tabitha’s eyes locked on each other, clearly smitten.
“That’s why I didn’t want a mortal for her!” Endora finally exclaimed, standing up. “Like you, Samantha, she will have to do all the compromising!”
“Let her have her fun, Endora,” Maurice waved his ex-wife words away. “They are young and clearly falling in love. Let them enjoy it while it lasts.”
“And I didn’t do anything that I didn’t want to, mother,” Samantha said, embracing her husband.
“You have the notebook,” Adam nodded towards Tony. “Tabitha, your old one should work just fine. If you think there’s anything wrong, let me know and we can re-do the spell. I wish you two good luck and I hope we don’t have to worry about family curses anymore,” he said looking at his grandmother. “Better go back to work. Contracts won’t write themselves, you know?” He approached his parents, bending down to kiss his mother on the cheek and grabbed his father on the shoulder warmly. “Let these two work around their schedules and then we can arrange for a family dinner,” he waved and popped out of the room with little sound.
“My grandson is right!” Maurice put his top hat back on. “Tabitha, my dear, all the best to you. Have fun! Samantha, darling, remember your old dad from time to time. Derwood, good to see you’re still ticking,” he did a quick bow and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
“Nobody ever listens to me!” Endora complained. “At least we could go to Paris for a new wardrobe if you insist on doing this drab museum work, Tabitha! You too, Samantha, I’m sure you could use some new clothes,” she looked with disdain towards her daughter’s dress.
“We can arrange something, mother,” Samantha agreed calmly. “Let me help Tabitha with her move and then we’ll talk.”
Endora huffed and waved her bat-like sleeves, disappearing with a rumble of thunder.
Samantha rose from the sofa’s arm and approached the younger couple. She looped her arm through her daughter's and faced the young man.
“What’s your mother’s family name, Tony? I can research them and see how much magic is there. It could help smooth things over with my mother, but it’s also nice to understand one’s family tree,” she offered.
Tony fought to move his eyes from Tabitha towards the older woman. “Ah… Yes, sure… My mother's maiden name was Paddington. My Uncle Clive is the head of the family now, as far as I know.”
Samantha nodded. “Paddington from Lancashire. I’ll look into it. Now let’s take you two to Baltimore to pick up your bags. I know Tabitha has a hotel room booked for a couple of days, but what about you?
“Ah, I was going to look for a motel or something. I had to leave Philly quickly, didn’t plan much.”
“We will take care of that,” the older woman patted his arm smoothly. “Darrin, dear, I’ll help these two get settled and I'll be back at dinner time, okay?”
Darrin seemed to be getting comfortable on the sofa, ready for a nap. “Humm..? Sure, Sam, sure…”
Samantha smiled lovingly, watching her husband fall asleep. She then took hold of Tony’s arm and with a twitch of her nose the trio disappeared from the suburban living room.
*TWIML *
‘Can you pop in tonight? Home early today and not working tomorrow,’ Tony wrote in his little magical black notebook. He knew it would take some time for Tabitha to answer, after all it was barely 1pm, she should be back from her lunch break and already busy with her research. He tried not to ask her out loud because Tony learned she kept an ear out for him and the last time he kept speaking to himself, wishing Tabitha was there, she popped up in panic, thinking he was hurt. Thank the stars nobody was in the room with him then, so no awkward explanations, no spells to mess with memories.
The notebook was a nice, private way to communicate but they still went through the embarrassing public phone calls in front of their co-workers, partly to create a front, mostly because they just wanted to talk.
The last year or so has been a bit of a roller coaster, but a nice one overall. DiNozzo was pleasantly surprised when the Brass kept their promise and he went through the Sergeant exam barely 3 months into his stint on the Baltimore Police. He was able to go for the Detective exam exactly one year after being promoted to Sergeant. Tony made friends with most of the uniforms he worked with and any digs sent his way after the second promotion kind of died out when he started working with the oldest Detective in his precinct, a crabby old man, probably over the age of retirement, that wouldn’t stop calling him ‘kid’ and so full of information, insights and tips, that Tony had to start writing them down for fear to forget something really useful.
Considering his name was Peter Marlow, and with his grumpy, non-nonsense attitude, DiNozzo started calling the man Bogart, forever connecting, in his mind, his mentor and Humphrey Bogart’s character, Phillip Marlowe.
“At least I don’t always fall for the gal,” the old man gripped in his normal way but the shine in his eyes coupled with the slight upwards twist in his mouth showed he was actually elated with the comparison. “My Betty would skin me alive if I started salivating for any other girl,” he stated, faking a shudder.
Tony laughed at the comment, having met Mrs Betty Marlow when the older man dragged him to a Sunday lunch, early on their partnership. Peter Marlow was tall and lanky, with permanent hunched shoulders, like he was trying to make himself smaller. Betty was also tall and slim but walked erect and head held high, not ashamed at all to hover over half the people she passed by. Betty explained she used to be a nurse, so she couldn’t be a meek thing or doctors and patients alike would walk all over her, hindering her work.
The couple, much like the Stephens, become an example for Tony. He learned early on, even before his mother’s death, that his parents were not a good marriage example, but even between his friends, frat brothers or family, no other couple seemed to work so well as those two.
DiNozzo was able to introduce Tabitha to the Marlows and the women got on too well for his peace of mind. Peter just laughed and told him to accept his fate.
“This one is a keeper, kid, you even get along with her parents,” the old detective said, after hearing the stories about the last family dinner Tony was present to. “That’s magic, right there, hold on to it!” He said, patting him back with force after Tony almost choked on the comment.
Today, though, the pair left work earlier because Marlow told him he was retiring.
“Really getting on in years here, kid,” he told Tony while sipping on a good coffee in the café DiNozzo found a couple of blocks from their station. Marlow wouldn’t indulge often, asking why he should fork hard won money for a pricey beverage when they had good enough coffee at work. Tony usually would bring the man there after a hard case, or, sometimes, just to talk. He felt today was a talk day, so there they were, just after lunch and after hand-in the reports from the last case they closed.
“Betty misses having more time with the children and grandchildren. They all live close by, half an hour or so from us, but police hours are not good to be present for school plays and little league games.”
Tony nodded, understanding. He saw the photos in the house and was impressed how Peter was able to have such a big family, 5 kids!, and keep the family together, happy, despite his job. One of the first things he was told when starting at Peoria Police was how hard it was to have a family, even a partner, with their kind of job.
“When will you sign the papers?”
“Ah, did just this morning, with the reports,” Marlow gave him his side smirk. “A bit cowardly of me, not talking to you first, but…” The man hesitated for a moment, took another sip of his coffee, a concoction with milk, hazelnut and chocolate that he wouldn’t ever admit of drinking. “You’re the best I ever trained… Nah, the best I have ever worked with, Tony,” the comment was serious since he was using DiNozzo’s name.
Marlow would do it to grab the younger man’s attention, to show the seriousness of whatever they were talking about. “You learn, absorb things like a sponge! The way you think…” Marlow shook his head. “I can barely keep up with you. A few more years of experience, a couple of different partners to give a broader perspective, and you’ll be one of the best there are,” the old man stated with absolute certainty, his eyes holding Tony’s, although the younger man was blushing and feeling uncomfortable with the praise.
“Don’t let anyone else tell you differently, Tony, know how good you are and keep going forward. You do have a good partner there with Tabitha, I can see the love,” he said.
“Ah… Peter… I don’t know what to say…”
“Say you’ll bring the little lady for Sunday lunch from time to time, kid.”
Tony chuckled, emotions making it sound a bit like a wet cough. “Yeah, sure, Tabitha loves Betty, of course we’ll be around.”
Another pat on the younger man’s leg and Marlow stood up, still sipping his coffee. “I talked with the Captain; we have the rest of the day and tomorrow. I’ll go by the station on Thursday to make sure my desk is clean. We could do lunch this Sunday though.”
“Sure, sure,” Tony stood too and started walking slowly, keeping pace with the older man. “Captain said who I would be partner with?” DiNozzo knew he buried himself by Marlow's side. He knew the other detectives but they kept their distance from the old timer, so Tony kept himself away from them too. Most of the gossip he got was from the uniform policemen. He sighed. Looked like he’d have to go for his frat brother persona if he wanted to ingratiate himself with the other detectives. They probably would harass him some because of his time as Marlow’s partner.
“Humm…” Peter finished his coffee and threw the cup into a trash can while they walked. “I tried to lobby for you to get the new guy, King? But I think Captain will put you with Price,” he answered, clearly unhappy with the news.
“Danny Price?!” Tony didn’t think the guy liked him at all. He knew Tony was dating, heard him on the phone and saw Tabitha’s photo at his desk, but even then he tried to make Tony go on a date with someone he knew. Price said something like “what your girl doesn’t know, can’t hurt her. I know someone that can make you really happy and really relaxed” while wagging his eyebrows, trying to be subtly funny but coming out smarmy creepy.
“Oh, no, no, no!” Tony shook his head in adamant denial. “I don’t like the guy at all! He gives me the shivers, not the good kind!”
“Uhm, agreed,” Marlow nodded. “Maybe talk to Tabitha, discuss options…”
“What options?”
“Remember the guy that almost came to blows with Price last week, the Navy guy?”
“The crook I tackled down? Price processed him?”
“I talked to him while Price was doing the background check. He’s actually a fed, with the Navy police.”
“Navy police?” Tony ran the information in his mind. He tried to keep up to date with agencies and other police districts they might encounter. “Naval Criminal Investigations Services?”
“Yep, NCIS. The guy talked to the captain about a sting he was doing to get some deserter or something. Never enlisted, not sure what they call it.”
“AWOL… Absent without official leave, not really a deserter. Probably had a weekend leave, drank too much and lost time… Meh, I think I’m over going after drunks, Bogart,” Tony dismissed.
“The guy said the sailor got involved with a drug dealer or something. It was big, not just someone losing time while nursing a hangover. He deals with the homicide of navy personnel or their families.”
“And you got all that from the guy while he waited in an interview room?” Tony asked unconvinced. “Not a good undercover then.”
Marlow laughed out loud, shaking his whole body. “Oh, no! The guy kept his tough face on until he had to go talk to the Captain and get some help with his case. Didn’t like to ask for it also,” he chuckled. “I bet he isn’t one for cooperation at all. All tough Marine or whatever. I can handle myself type.”
“And what all that has anything to do with me not wanting to work with Creepy Price?”
“The investigation I asked you to do that week? About the drugs deaths and all? It was for him, to help him. He was impressed with how quickly you found the information and he was able to use it to solve his own case. We also cleaned up a couple of John Does that week, just because you connect dots that nobody else sees.”
“I saw his grumpy face when he left. He didn’t seem impressed.”
“Gibbs, his name is Gibbs, and he said the second B is for bastard.”
It was Tony’s turn to laugh out loud. “Arrogant much?”
“Doesn’t mean it isn’t true,” Marlow smirked. “But I was thinking you could apply to work in a federal agency. With your experience, you can go through their short course. It’s in Georgia, right? Not sure if you can come back to Washington right away, but if you don’t want to go to New York or Los Angeles, I don’t think you’ll get a lot of challenge from other police districts.”
“Become a fed?” Tony asked, splitting between disgusted and interested.
“Tabitha works in Washington, right? It would be easier to be in the same town as her. And if you contact Gibbs, you can go with that Naval Criminal Investigation thing right there in DC.”
Tony’s mind was going through the possibilities and options. “Thanks, Pete, I think I ‘ll be talking to Tabitha about this.”
“It’s the way to go, kid,” Marlow patted the younger man’s shoulder. “You’d still be close enough for Sunday lunches and all that.”
*TWIML*
Their relationship was different from anything Tony had before. It was easy to talk with Tabitha, even on their first official date after the whole magic reveal. They drove from Washington and Baltimore respectively, meeting midway between the two cities and they just sat at a café and talked and talked, about nothing and everything. After that it was an easy back and forth, meeting whenever they could, mostly depending on DiNozzo’s shifts.
Tabitha helped him study for both his exams, Sergeant and Detective, and cheered when he passed.
Tony went to the two expositions she curated, making sure to show his admiration and respect for her work.
They had family lunches with Tabitha’s family; she would pop them to the nice suburban house her parents lived their whole married life in. Tabitha would drive, or pop into Tony’s apartment, so they could go for Sunday lunches with Marlow and his wife, after DiNozzo became a Detective and was paired up with the older man.
The conversation about Marlow’s retirement and the suggestion to apply for a federal agency went well. They discussed pros and cons, but Tabitha was happy working at the Smithsonian and Tony really didn’t want to be partnered with Price. He could go for the DC police but federal agents were paid better.
“More than money itself, I think you should do what makes you happy, dearest,” Tabitha burrowed deeper in his embrace, the couple seated on the small sofa of Tony’s one bedroom apartment. “I do my best to live as a mortal, but I wouldn’t allow us to suffer if I could use my magic. And mom and Adam would help also.”
“I know, kitty,” Tony caressed her arm. He’d chosen the nickname after playing around with her name and joking using Tabby during one of the lunches with her family, making Adam roar in laughter, Samantha pursed her lips so much like Endora to show her distaste for it, and Darrin saying he was on his own to get out of that hole.
Tony pulled a small box from his trousers pocket, something he was carrying along most of the time, looking for the right moment to present it.
Samantha’s research on his family line brought some fruits. He was back in contact with his Uncle Clive, the current head of the Paddington family. They exchanged some simple, short letters, very stiff upper lip English style from his Uncle Clive side, and very tentative and hopeful from Tony’s. Regrets for the loss of contact were mentioned and a few tidy bits of family information were imparted. For Tony, though, one of the most important things that came from the renewed connection was a box with mementos and photos his Uncle sent to him. Tony had very few physical memories of his mother since his father was quick to clean the house of such things soon after her funeral. There was pain in the action, DiNozzo Senior not knowing how to deal with the loss, but mostly it was his mercurial side, looking for the new opportunity, a new life that memories from the past wouldn’t fit.
Uncle Clive sent the photos of the Paddington family, when Elizabeth Paddington was a happy child, teenager and young woman, before she met DiNozzo Senior. It was a side of her that Tony had never had the opportunity to see before. Besides the photos, there were some drawings and music sheets, showing that Tony’s artistic inclinations were inherited after all, and a few pieces of jewellery, nothing too valuable besides the emotional attachment that a young Elizabeth had to the pieces. The one exception was a beautiful ring with interlaced gold bands, mimicking branches that created a support for a cluster of white diamonds in the arrangement of a flower, with a nicely cut emerald in the middle. The quality of the stones made the ring the most valuable piece in the collection Tony received but the note accompanying it, explaining that the ring belonged to Tony’s great-grandmother and was given to his mother to pass on to her children, was what made it so valuable for Tony. It made the connection with a side of his family he barely knew but finally felt part of.
“Tabitha,” he murmured, moving a little bit away to be able to see her face. “I know it hasn’t been long, but I truly feel we are perfect together…” Tony observed her face going from a little worried, her mind still on their previous conversation to bewilderment about the change of subject to awe when she seemed to catch on where this was going.
He pulled the little box completely free from his pocket, turning it in his hand to be able to press the little button to pop the ring box open.
“Thanks to your mom, I’m able to offer you a true Paddington ring, something that feels full of love and magic...” Tony didn’t leave the sofa, but turned a little more, one leg still on the seat, the other falling down to the floor. “My lovely Tabitha, would you marry me?”
Tabitha’s hands covered her mouth for a moment, but she was quickly to hold Tony’s hand between hers. “Yes, yes, yes, my Tony!” She leaned in, pulling him towards her at the same time, throwing her arms around him, going for a kiss with complete enthusiasm.
Tony fumbled with the ring box for a moment but was able to hold on to it while embracing Tabitha and losing himself in the kiss.
*TWIML*
Tony DiNozzo was a little nervous, he could admit to that. His transition to federal agent was reasonably painless. Training at FLETC went as well as it could go, considering all his experience, being at work or dealing with stuck up college graduates that thought they knew everything.
The FBI came sniffing around when he graduated, but his experience with Organized Crimes kind of soured him to the agency, so that was a firm no. Maybe if the recruiting agent, a Tobias Fornell, had been a little less arrogant, Tony might have given it a chance.
Chris Pacci was the NCIS agent that came to talk to the FLETC graduates and Tony felt very much at ease with the guy, solidifying his agency choice. He was even happier to find out Pacci would be his training officer. The guy reminded him a bit of Marlow, with his knowledge and disposition for teaching, but they were also quite different in demeanour, with Pacci being friendly in a fatherlike way, while Marlow was always the grumpy, but secretly nice, drill sergeant type.
They worked well for the first year, just the two of them. For the second year, the team doubled in size, with Agent Paula Cassidy transferring from Florida and a new probie in Cassie Yates, fresh from the full FLETC course. There were some adjustments to be made, with Paula thinking she should be the Senior Field Agent for the team, since she was with the agency for 3 years already, but she discounted the six years of police work on Tony’s resume. Pacci compromised, putting Tony officially in the position of SFA, but making Paula shadow him to learn the ropes. Cassie just followed along, all eager, bright eyes still full of wonder.
Now Tony was facing another mentor leaving, not to full retirement this time, but to a position at FLECT as an instructor. Pacci decided to accept the repeated offer to teach after the last case the team was involved in almost got him killed. Tony was quick enough to push the man out of the way of the would-be killer speeding car, but the team leader still twisted his kneed and broke an arm, benching him from field work anyway. Paula Cassidy accepted a position as SFA for one of the Norfolk teams, glad to keep moving up the ladder as she always wanted. Cassie Yates accepted a position in San Diego, working with a team that did mostly undercover work, something she became quite interested in and good at. For Tony, Director Morrow offered the SFA position at the Major Crime Response Team, under Gibbs.
Tony took the offer home to discuss with Tabitha, his very pregnant wife of over 2 years. Gibbs became even more outrageous and arrogant the longer Tony worked at NCIS, his reputation worse. The man got results but he would run off agents like he was discarding used bottles and run over other agencies and police departments like they were mere speed bumps in his investigations. Tony was unsure about working under the man.
“He’s demanding and the agents that worked with him say he doesn’t care for personal time, insisting everybody is available 24/7…” he whined.
“You also said he’s good and his team gets the more interesting cases,” Tabitha smiled, patting her husband's head with one hand while the other drew circles over her 6 months pregnant belly. “You know you want a chance to work with him. Doesn’t need to be forever, dear. If he doesn’t abide by the boundaries you give, you can always request a transfer.”
“There isn’t much more for me to do in the DC office if I leave the MCRT team…” Tony hated feeling uncertain like this.
“Try for a year, see how it goes, the same way you accepted Pacci offer,” Tabitha trained under her mother to learn how to sooth husbands’ feelings. “If there’s too much work, you can always suggest a second team to support the MCRT. And we always can move, if it’s better for your career,” she stated calmly.
“You love the Smithsonian…”
“I love you more,” she declared firmly. “And with the baby coming, I’ll cut my hours at the museum anyway. I want to be mostly at home for the first year at least. After that, we can decide if the baby goes to daycare or what.”
“You mean, we need to see if the baby is a witch or warlock first,” Tony chuckled.
“That too,” Tabitha laughed.
“Ok, let’s give Gibbs, the second B is for bastard a chance. But he won’t be cutting my hours at home with you!”
“I wouldn’t let him, dearest,” her smile was the closest thing to dangerous that Tabitha could produce.
*TWIML*
“Pacci says you’re good,” Gibbs growled in between sips of his coffee.
“I learned a lot from him and my first partner, Marlow,” Tony commented, drinking from his own cup. The two agents were outside the NCIS DC office, sitting on a park bench, after buying their beverages from a coffee cart.
“Hum… I have rules and a way of doing things,” Gibbs declared.
“Yeah, I noticed. All together they seemed to contribute to the revolving door of agents on your team,” Tony smirked.
“I don’t work with blockheads and dumbasses! My way works, no need to change!”
“Weeelll…” Tony stretched his long legs in front of him, trying to relax on the wooden bench. “If you lose agents like they are running out of style, or if your case gets thrown out of the courts, I would say your way isn’t working.”
“Who are you to say how I do my job?!” Gibbs stood up, throwing his empty coffee cup in the nearest trash can.
“Someone who believes in procedure and law, and police work that is done through good investigation and collection of evidence, not intimidation,” Tony stated calmly, not being cowed by the macho man display. “I don’t believe in cowboy style justice. Pacci believed you’re a good agent that might just need the right partner or team. I had a very good partner before and a good team with him. I won’t be working in a hostile environment or under a bully. I have a wife and a baby on the way to go back to at the end of every day,” he emphasized, sitting straight and putting his lessons from Darrin and Marlow to use to look down at Gibbs even if he was seated and the other man was looming over him.
Gibbs took a step back. “Didn’t know you’re married,” he commented, unable to hide his surprise. “Though you’re a player. Cassidy seemed to think so too,” he said but quickly completed before Tony could answer. “It’s a rule really. No dating a co-worker. Just mess things up on the team.”
Tony nodded at the last part. “I agree. It’s hard not to bring personal stuff into the office anyway. It would be almost impossible for couples. But Paula was just pissed that I got the SFA position because of my years as cop instead of her. Pacci made her shadow me to learn everything the position entails. Seems to have worked, since she got the position in Norfolk,” Tony shrugged.
Gibbs sat back. “We can start as a two men team, I know you did it with Pacci.”
“Our cases were not as high profile or dangerous as the MCRT should get,” Tony retorted. “And isn’t MCRT for Major Crime Response Team? Two men isn’t a team, it's a partnership.”
“Morrow wants a full team, at least 4 people,” The older man answered with disdain. “Don’t know why…”
“Having at least 4 people would make it easier to divide tasks and to always have back-up without having to pull in other teams,” Tony explained, surprised by the comment. “How does your team usually work?”
“I tell them to do stuff and they do it.”
Tony leaned away surprised. “Humm… Ah… I don’t think…”
Before the younger man could finish his comment, Gibbs barged in. “I remember you from Baltimore. I tried to get you on my team when you started but Pacci beat me to it. I think you are good and I don’t waste good. It’s another rule,” he completed.
“Gibbs…”
“Let’s give it a try, DiNozzo. I have things to teach you, I work differently from Pacci. You can try to make the MCRT work as it should. Less complaining from the Director would be good,” Gibbs almost pouted like a toddler.
Tony had to hold his laughter at the image of the older man with half of his lower lip protruding out. “Okay, a trial. We start as a pair and in six months or so we see if it works to bring more people.”
“Deal,” Gibbs stood again, turning in the direction of the coffee cart.
“Come for lunch this Sunday,” Tony invited impulsively. “Tabitha will want to meet you.”
The older agent looked back at the still seated man. “What?”
“My wife, Tabitha. We try to have family lunches at least once a month. There’s one this Sunday and even Marlow and Betty should come. You know, Marlow, my partner in Baltimore?”
Gibbs shook his head. “I don’t do family dinners, DiNozzo,” he said with bitter certainty.
“You might try, for the sake of a better working relationship,” Tony quipped.
“What do your family Sunday dinners have to do with our work relationship?”
“It’s better if Tabitha knows you beforehand if she ever has to take out your hide if something goes pear-shaped at work,” Tony smiled. “Paula learned the hard way when I got hurt because she didn’t listen to me and she had to face my wife at the emergency room.”
A short, bark like laugh came from the older man before he could control himself. “I would have liked to see it. Cassidy is really arrogant.”
“Like recognize like,” Tony joked, standing up and pulling a card from his trousers back pocket. “Here, the address. You can come any time from 11am, but we usually eat around 12:30.”
Gibbs took the card reluctantly. “I’ll think about it.”
Tony checked his watch. “It’s past 3:30. I’ll just move my stuff from Pacci’s bullpen to the MCRT and go home. I hope to see you Sunday! Otherwise, Monday morning, at 8am,” he started to walk away, waving his goodbye.
“What?!” Gibbs was surprised by the dismissal. “No! We work until 6pm! What if a case comes up?”
“Director Morrow said Balboa’s team was on call for cases from today until Monday morning,” Tony said calmly. “I’ll work late and weekends when we have a hot case or we’re on call, but I told you, I have a family to go back to,” he turned just enough to be able to see the older man. “You’re invited to be part of it, Gibbs, if you want,” he completed softly and walked away, leaving the other man standing there, turning a card in his hand, lost in thought.
*TWIML*
“Six months, boss,” Tony said quietly, putting a pile of documents on Gibbs desk. “If she doesn’t shape up, you ship her out.”
Gibbs raised an eyebrow. “Thought you were dead against bringing Todd.”
“Morrow is dead against. I have a ton of doubts,” Tony responded.
“You’re afraid I’ll take your place, that’s why you don’t want me here,” Caitlin Todd interrupted the quiet conversation, leaving the desk she had been arranging and standing in the middle of the bullpen with crossed arms. “You’re a sexist frat boy, afraid to let women in your little boys club because you know we would wipe the floor with your ass!” she stated loudly, chin out and high, all sure of herself.
Tony just raised his own eyebrow towards the team leader and walked around the woman to go back to his desk. Gibbs felt the need to bang his head on his desk. He liked the gumption of Todd and also felt a little guilty for her dismissal from the Secret Service, but he certainly didn’t need another agent with a chip on their shoulder, like Blackadder.
“Todd…”
“I have over 6 years of experience as a federal agent…”
“Secret Service protection detail experience does not equate to investigative training,” Tony stated, leaning against his desk, hands loosely at his sides. If this was to work, they need to shave the hard edges early on.
“And what a beat cop would know about anything?!” She waved her hand dismissively.
“More about collecting evidence and investigating a crime than you ever had to do, Todd,” Gibbs stated definitely, also standing up from his desk. He certainly didn’t feel guilty enough to ride this headache for long. “You go back to FLECT, do the short course, focusing on investigative techniques and come back as a probatory agent, like everybody else.”
“What about him?” She asked shrilly, pointing towards DiNozzo.
“Senior Field Agent DiNozzo had around 6 years of experience as a police officer when he completed the FLETC short course and started in NCIS as a probationary agent under the guidance of Agent Pacci,” the answer came in a non-nonsense tone from the entrance to the bullpen.
Todd jumped in surprise, but Gibbs just sighed in defeat. Getting the NCIS Director involved on your first day at the agency wasn’t a good start for the woman. Tony just relaxed a little more at his desk and watched the show go on.
“Pacci and DiNozzo, together, then selected 2 female agents to complete their team. A probie and one with experience from another office. Agent Cassidy is SFA at Norfolk now and Agent Yates is working in Special Operations out of San Diego. Agent Pacci is teaching at FLETC, per their invitation. Agent Gibbs selected DiNozzo as his SFA for the MCRT. Anything else about how things are done here you want to discuss, Miss Todd?”
Caitlin felt a shiver run down her spine at the cold tone from Director Morrow and the emphasis on her appellation as ‘Miss’ and not ‘Agent’ hurt a little. “I was just trying to understand…”
“You’re making assumptions for whatever reason but that will not fly here. I was against you coming into our premier team, which has indisputably high resolution and conviction rates, because you didn’t seem bothered about the breaking of regulations, only that you got caught. Not how I want NCIS to run.”
Gibbs ducked under that comment. He knew it was a dig at him too. DiNozzo coming into the MCRT changed much on how things were done and Gibbs was man enough to accept, in his own mind, it was for the better.
“Director Morrow,” the sweet and happy call came from the direction of the lift and the group in the bullpen turned to see the slender blond walking towards them pushing a baby stroller.
“Tabitha!” Tony jumped from his position and speed walked around the director.
Gibbs smiled openly and looked up towards one of the security cameras in the corner of the room. He was sure Abby would have been informed of the visit and would be calling Ducky and Gerald to the bullpen.
“Mrs DiNozzo, it’s always a pleasure,” Morrow gave her a short bow with a tight smile.
“I asked that you call me Tabitha,” the young woman accepted a kiss on the cheek from Tony, before he knelt down and started freeing the baby from the stroller.
“As soon as you call me Tom,” the man smiled more freely.
A bell like laugh sounded from the young woman, turning the attention from the rest of the floor to them.
“It’s Tom, then, I think we’ve known each other long enough.”
The man smiled again and approached his young agent and the baby he was cuddling now in his arms.
“What brought you to the Navy Yard, dear?” Tony asked absentminded while tingling the baby’s belly, enjoying the sleepy laughter from his child.
“Family meeting,” she said airily but with a pointed look that Tony seemed to understand. “I thought seeing you and Jethro would lift my mood,” Tabitha completed with a cute pout.
“Always here to help, Tabitha,” Gibbs said, approaching the couple and extending his arms to pick up the baby. Tony hesitated but the older man just stared him down. “You go back home every night to them, DiNozzo. We have to get by with sporadic visits.”
“You should come more often to the Sunday lunches, then,” Tony answered, embracing his wife while Gibbs made faces to the child.
“As long as your cousin Serena is not around,” he answered firmly. “I have 3 ex-wives, can’t afford another one, especially high maintenance as she seems to be.”
“Oh, she’s more of a party girl than wife material,” Tony joked. “Not even a red-hair!”
“Tony!” Tabitha slapped his arm in reprimand.
“It’s true! You father used to say it.”
“Doesn’t need to be repeated!”
“Tabitha! Tabitha! Tabitha!” came the enthusiastic call from the lift, soon followed by the heavy footsteps from someone using combat boots.
“Abigail, my dear, you’ll alarm the sweet child,” the English accent indicated the arrival of Dr Mallard, Ducky to his friends and colleagues.
“Ah, no! Sabrina loves her Aunt Abby!” The goth approached Gibbs, grabbing hands towards the baby.
Gibbs sighed but relinquished Sabrina to Abby, staying close by, watching with some nostalgia while Ducky playing peek-a-boo with the still half-asleep baby. The child’s hands moved towards Abby’s choker, playing with the spikes, but soon she was resting her little head on the young woman’s shoulders, yawning.
“What is this?!” The surprised and somewhat indignant cry startled the whole group.
The baby scrunched her face and started crying at the sudden noise.
“KATE! What the hell?!” Abby shouted back, while Gibbs quickly retrieved the baby from her arms and walked a few steps away, back to her parents, trying to soothe her.
“Abby, this must be a joke! There’s no way DiNozzo, of all people, is married and has a kid!”
“Caitlyn, my dear,” Ducky addressed the new agent in a stern tone. “You’ve known young Anthony for a total of what? Two weeks and change? How can you say something like that?”
“He flirts with everyone! He referred to me as a chick! He shoved a magazine with half naked women into my face! He’s always making jokes! Who can take him seriously? And marry him?!”
Kate really hated to feel wrong footed, she was good at reading people, she had training as a profiler, no way she was wrong about that frat boy!
“My grandfather and various uncles, most older than Ducky, flirt with everyone they meet,” Tabitha approached the trio, leaving the other men occupied with entertaining her daughter. “It’s just a distraction, a fun way to get to know people. I think this is the first time someone got offended by it. Tony just likes a bit of friendly banter.”
“I think Kate is mad because Tony didn’t flirt with her when they met,” Abby declared, throwing a stinky eye towards the new agent.
Kate blushed. “Of course not! As if I would fall for the likes of him!”
Tabitha raised an eyebrow in clear challenge. “Well, if you’re playing on staying on his team, better try to understand how he works and let go of your assumptions and prejudices. I know how hard my husband works and he doesn’t need the aggravation of an annoying co-worker,” she finished, turning her back to the other woman and walking towards her husband, Gibbs and Morrow, all three still busy in calming down the baby, doing their best to ignore the showdown between the women a few feet away.
“How dare she…” Kate murmured in shock.
“Well, you bad mouthed her husband,” Abby declared, arms crossed and a belligerent look. “And suggested that she was lying about Sabrina’s parentage. I would say it’s more of a of ‘how dare you’,” she completed not caring for the crestfallen expression on Kate’s face.
“I didn’t mean to imply…”
“Think before you complain, then!” Abby was not in a forgiving mood. She adored Tabitha, someone she could discuss her family links to voodoo without being judged. Sabrina was the cutest baby ever and Abby was ready to fight for her position. She liked Tony too, especially because of how well he worked with Gibbs. Not even Stan got that well with her Silver Fox. Abby had liked the idea to have another girl on team Gibbs, one that he liked better than Vivian Blackadder, but not at the expense of her little family harmony.
Ducky patted Abby’s arm and gave her a little push. “Go say goodbye to dear Tabitha and the lovely Sabrina, Abigail. I’ll try to explain things to our Caitlin here.”
“She better listen good, or she won’t be ours for long,” Abby marched away, uncaring of the noise her heavy steps made.
Ducky held the other woman's elbow, delicately directing her further down the bullpen, closer to the last desk on the left-hand side of the team leader’s one.
“Caitlin, my dear, you need to give time to get to know people. Jumping to conclusions from first meetings, especially when they happen in stressful situations, won’t serve you well.”
“I’m a very good judge of character, Ducky,” she answered proudly.
“Hum…” the older man let go of her arm, positioning a hand on his chin, in a pensive gesture. “If our last case were to be considered, the one during which we met you, that declaration would be destroyed in a court room.”
Before Kate could retort, as her angry visage was promising, Ducky continued.
“Anthony DiNozzo is a very competent agent. He had a stellar career as a police officer. He is very good undercover and his mild, joking ways are used to disarm and confound suspects and witnesses alike, to their detriment and for the best outcome of our cases. Anthony is a good man. A good husband and father. He married Tabitha just before starting at NCIS and their daughter was born a few months after he started working with Jethro. The DiNozzos invited all of us into their family. They still talk with Anthony’s mentor, Detective Marlow, from his time with Baltimore Police.”
Kate tried to interrupt but Ducky raised a hand, signalling her to wait.
“I’m trying to give you information so you can revise your early perceptions. And I’m asking you to be open minded before jumping into accusations. The investigative world is full of shades of grey, my dear. All dark villains and all white heroes are for fairy tales,” he patted her on the shoulder and moved away, approaching the group at the entrance of the bullpen to say his own goodbyes.
Sabrina was back in the stroller, babbling away and playing with a bat plushie, clearly a gift from Abby.
Ducky got the end tail of the conversation.
“It’s a destination wedding but a cherished place for our family, so it’ll be small. Adam is planning a big party afterwards to commemorate with all our friends. He’ll be inviting you all,” Tabitha smiled all around.
“Oh, I would love that! Brianna is my kind of people,“ Abby clapped enthusiastically, getting Sabrina to repeat the gesture and all the adults cooed at it.
“Oh, and you haven’t met Serena yet! I think you two will go together like a house on fire,” Tony chuckled.
“Or hate each other for eternity,” Gibbs responded in a wishful tone.
“I promised to protect you from her, Gibbs, no matter how this goes,” Abby giggled.
“Bye, bye everyone! Pete and Betty should come this Sunday. Ducky, see if you can drag Jethro here for lunch,” Tabitha threw over her shoulder while pushing the stroller towards the lift.
The group waved and Tony said their inner joke farewell: “So, goodbye…”
Tabitha smiled from the lift: “Farewell…”
And they spoke together before the lift doors closed: “So long…”
Director Morrow smiled, having heard the way the couple always said their goodbyes before. He thought it was cute, even if he would not be banding this comment about. He then looked sharply at Gibbs, tilting his head in a clear sign for the older agent to deal with the newbie.
Gibbs sighed softly and nodded in acknowledgment, turning to their bullpen.
Abby and Ducky walked away talking about the coming party, commenting on how nice a couple Tabitha’s brother and his fiancée were. They took the back elevator to go back to their respective work areas. Ducky would updated Gerald, when he was back from his errands. He knew his assistant would be sad to have missed the visit, but they had the next Sunday lunch to look for.
Tony watched the lift with a longing and loving stare, then shrugged, pushing his hands into his front trousers’ pockets, walking slowly back to his desk.
“I don’t know where I would be if I didn’t have these witches in my life, boss,” he commented, lost in thought.
“Witches!?” Kate exclaimed from her desk, having heard the murmured comment. She was certainly upset about all the chastisement she’d gone through, feeling like her world view had been turned upside down. “You call you wife and daughter witches?! How can you!?”
Tony looked at her, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Easy. They enchante me every day, and I’m happily bewitched by their magic,” he responded with a brilliant smile.
Gibbs laughed out loud, no longer a surprising occurrence since starting work with DiNozzo and being introduced to his really enchanting family.
“Aren’t we all bewitched by your girls?” he retorted with some sorrow but not an acute pain as he used to feel.
“Tabitha’s father said the same thing to me, before he passed. Samantha, her mother, bewitched him and not even the evil witch his mother-in-law was could break that spell. I don’t have an evil mother-in-law, Samantha is great, although there are some crazy relatives in law, but there’s nothing that could break Tabitha’s spell over me.”
“That’s so cheesy!” Kate spluttered, half disgusted, half envious.
Tony shrugged. “Don’t care. It’s how I feel. Get used to it,” he responded, sitting at his desk and turning to his computer.
“Get used to it,” Gibbs repeated. “Now get what you need for FLECT and go talk with HR. The short course starts next week and you better be there!”
Kate huffed, picked up the paperwork on his desk, picked up her bag and left the bullpen without saying goodbye.
“I’m serious, boss. Six months to shape up.”
“Or we ship her out. I agree, Tony. She didn’t coo once at Sabrina! There might be something wrong with her after all,” Gibbs shook his head in dismay.
Tony laughed with delight. “They bewitched you too, huh, boss!”
The end