“Abby! Abby!” Tony grabbed Abby by the shoulders. She was practically bouncing off the walls, between the caffeine and the news. “Abs, Abs! Calm down! Remember. This is a secret, Abby.” Tony said as he released his hold on her. “Until the DNA results come back….”
“But Tony…!” Abby pleaded looking from Olivia to Tony and back. “…I mean have you seen her? Look at her, Tony. You don’t need any DNA….”
Tony and Olivia went down to the lab to take a DNA test. Olivia knew he would want the test, just to be sure. She had not been offended when he had suggested it. She willingly followed him down to the lab after their conversation in the hall. She gladly let Abby swab the inside of her cheek to get cells to run the test. Abby had done the same to Tony and she now had both sealed vials on her lab table.
“You said one week, Abby.” Tony reminded her. “One week until we get the results back. That is when we, I…I can tell everyone. Not until then. I want to make it official.” Tony looked at Olivia and smiled. “Then I will tell everybody about my baby girl, my Olivia.”
“Tony.” Abby said, wringing her hands. “This is huge. This is like…big. The biggest secret I’ve ever kept. You know, everybody upstairs is already buzzing about this.” Abby paced as she talked. “And Gibbs, oh, Gibbs, I can’t keep a secret from him, Tony. You know I can’t. He has this way. I don’t know, maybe it’s those steely blue eyes. That sexy, gray,…oh, sorry, Olivia.”
Olivia smiled and nodded.
Tony looked at Olivia.
“What? He’s a handsome man.” Olivia stated.
“He’s my boss!” Tony replied.
Olivia shook her head. “It’s not like we’re related. I just think he’s handsome. For an older man, he’s handsome. But, I bet when he was younger, he was hot.”
Abby nodded. “I’ll have to show you some pictures sometimes….”
“Whoa!” Tony said looking from Olivia to Abby and back. “This is just wrong.”
Olivia got up from the stool she had been sitting on and went over to Tony and put her arms around him.
“What has that for?” Tony asked hugging Olivia back.
“You did a very ‘dad’ thing there.”
“I did?”
“Yeah,” Olivia nodded. “...you got all queasy when I started talking about boys. A classic dad move, an attempt to change the subject.”
Tony smiled broadly and stepped back away from her. “Did it work?”
Olivia shook her head. “No, I always employ the patented eye roll. Dads hate the eye roll. It works for a lot of things.”
Olivia rolled her eyes at Tony.
“Yeah, you’re right. I hate the eye roll.” Tony said.
Tony went over to Abby and pulled her into a huge. “I know you will keep my secret. It’s just a week, and just think, you’re the first to know.”
Abby broke the hug, stepped back and nodded. She then gave Olivia a huge hug. “It is so nice to meet you, Olivia. You…you two look so much alike.” Abby shook her head. “I just can’t get over it. I’ve known Tony for a long time, Olivia. He’s a great guy. He’s been a really good friend. I always thought he would make a great dad.”
Olivia nodded. “Thanks, Abby. It’s…it’s really been nice to meet you.” Olivia said as Tony ushered her out the door.
Tony turned around to Abby and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “Thanks for saying that.”
Abby smiled. “I meant every word.”
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
Olivia waited until she and Tony were out in the hall before she spoke. “I get the feeling Abby is more than just someone you work with. She’s a good friend?”
Tony nodded. “Yes, she is.”
“And the gray-haired man I met the first time….”
“That’s Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Team Leader. He’s my boss. I’m the Senior Field Agent and the other two agents were Timothy McGee and Ziva David.” Tony explained.
“You’re close to all these people?” Olivia asked as they both rode up in the elevator.
Tony nodded as the doors opened. He stepped out with her and walked her to her car. They continued talking as they walked.
“Dad.” Olivia turned and looked at him, smiling. “I…that is the first time I’ve called you that. I…” Olivia paused. “…I just realized I have a whole new family, another set of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins.”
Tony sighed. He knew he would have to tell Olivia about his relationship with his father. He was just not looking forward to it. He thought she might even reconsider when she heard the whole sordid story. “I…I didn’t have the best childhood, Olivia. I, my father was not a nice man. I…I hope you don’t change your mind after you know it all, after I tell you everything.”
Olivia had to admit, what Tony said, scared her a little. She had never had anything but a good family life. His statement made her a little leery. “I…I’m not sure I understand.” They had reached Olivia’s car and she turned and leaned against it.
Tony shifted his gaze from her to the ground. He seemed to be studying the asphalt intently. He lifted his head again before he spoke. “I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to meet your grandfather, my father. I just…I just don’t think he would accept you.”
“Accept me? I’m his grandchild, your daughter. How could he not accept me?” Olivia asked.
“It has nothing to do with you, Baby Girl.” Tony said. “It’s just…it’s just how you came about.”
Olivia smiled at the use of the nickname. She liked it. Then it quickly dawned on her, what he was saying. “Basta….”
Tony nodded quickly, not allowing her to finish. “Old money, old values, old rules. He disowned me when I decided I didn’t want to go into the family business.”
“Really, I…he doesn’t sound like a very good, nice person. ” Olivia stated.
“I went into a public service occupation; something he felt was beneath his station in life. You were born to two unmarried people. He already considers me a disappointment. I can’t imagine what…. I don’t want to put you through that.” Tony explained.
Tony pulled Olivia into his arms when he saw her begin to tear up. “I love you. I accept you. You’re mine. That’s all that matters. You have me in your life, for the rest of your life…” He pulled back and looked her in the eye. “…if you’ll have me.”
Olivia looked up at him and nodded. “I love you, too.”
TBC
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.