Chapter Text
Paula was making what Tony now recognized as happy gurgling noises. She was snuggled down against Tony's chest in the wickedly handy sling contraption that Abby had insisted they needed. And it times like now, when he was making himself a sandwich with an three-month old Paula nestled against him, that he had to admit that Abby had been right- it was nice to have free hands.
"Alrighty then, Miss DiNozzo, you've had your lunch, now I'm gonna have mine while we watch something on t.v. that doesn't require your dear old dad to think too much. It's been a long week."
Paula responded to the deep timbre of his voice with more happy gurgling and what Tony would swear was a smile, no matter that everyone else said it was just gas. He liked the idea that he could make his daughter smile, he figured that would probably change once she became a teenager and he wanted to store some up for those horrid years in the future.
Tony took Paula and his lunch into the living room and sat down on the couch with an exaggerated sigh. He took her out of the sling and settled her gently on the couch cushion next to him, protected by a bolster of pillows so she couldn't fall. She could see him and he could reach over and touch her. Abby and Margie, the wife of one of Gibbs' Marine Corps buddies who was taking care of Paula when Tony was at work, were both very nervous about the setup. They were afraid that Tony would get distracted or fall asleep and that Paula might get hurt. Abby had even tried to convince Gibbs to talk to Tony about it, not knowing that it was in fact Gibbs himself who had shown Tony how to set it up so the baby would be safe. He had done the same thing with Kelly.
Oddly, out of all the people who knew them, Gibbs was the only one to seemingly have no worries about Tony being able to take care of Paula. Gibbs had actually spent quite a bit of time with them during Tony's weeks of paternity leave in the evenings and on the weekends helping to get both Tony and Paula into some semblance of a routine and he had patiently taught Tony all the tips and tricks he knew about caring for a baby girl. Gibbs had seen how terrified Tony was about doing the wrong thing and he had seen how hard Tony was trying to be perfect. He wasn't though, and his honest ineptitude brought he and Paula to the brink of disaster a couple of times. But through all the doubt and the mistakes and nervousness, Gibbs could see how completely wrapped around her little fingers Paula had her father and he stood up for Tony when the others became too overbearing.
Tony had finished his sandwich and was watching an old black and white John Wayne movie. He had his feet up on the coffee table and had a hand resting lightly on Paula when there was a knock at the door. Surprised, as he wasn't expecting anyone, he quickly stood and picked Paula up and answered the door. If he had been surprised at the randomness of the knock itself, he was stupefied when he opened the door and saw his father, Anthony, standing there.
"Dad?"
"Junior."
"What are you doing here?"
"I thought it was high time I met my granddaughter, don't you?"
Tony digested that for a moment and took in the pink teddy bear in his dad's hands. Tony also realized that standing next to his father a bit further into the hallway was Karen Glaude, his late mother's best friend.
Karen had always been one of Tony's favorite people growing up, a consistent face among all the women who his father either married and divorced or just traipsed through Tony's life. Ignoring his father's question, Tony grinned at Karen. "Karen!"
She returned a bright smile and held up a couple of festive baby pink gift bags and teased, "Can we come in and see the baby?"
"Of course.' He stood aside and they entered the apartment. It was their first visit to Tony's D.C. home.
Tony noticed that his father's eyes never left the little blanket wrapped bundle that Tony held against his chest. There was an odd gentleness on his face that Tony never remembered seeing before. He had never really considered whether or not his father had any aspirations about being a grandfather. Lightly Tony said, "Please, sit."
When they were settled Tony placed Paula in his father's nervous hands. "Say hi to your granddaughter, Dad, Miss Paula Maria DiNozzo."
Paula regarded her grandfather with curious eyes. And she wasn't the only one. Tony was studying his father, watching as he inspected Paula's little fingers and smoothed down her little mop of silky hair. There was something different about his father. It took him a few minutes to determine what it was- Anthony was sober, completely sober. Tony couldn't remember a time since his mother's death that his father had been completely sober. There was something else too, his father was relaxed and his smile genuine. It was puzzling and Tony wondered what exactly brought about these massive changes in his father.
His father looked up and said, "She's beautiful, Junior. She looks just like you did as a baby."
Tony cocked his head to the side and studied Paula's face. "You think so? Everyone keeps saying that, but I just don't see it."
Karen spoke up with a little chuckle, "Absolutely. I remember your mother trying to convince your father that very same thing."
Tony's eyes gentled for a second and he said wistfully, "I wish she could have seen Paula."
Karen reached over and gave Tony's hand a squeeze. "She sees, Tony, she sees."
Karen's faith was strong and had been what had gotten her through losing her husband of forty years when he died of cancer two years ago. Tony's quick eye had noticed something on her hand when she had reached for his and he raised his hand along with hers to inspect the impressive diamond engagement ring she was wearing. "Okay, who's the lucky guy? And you if you tell me your creepy neighbor Stuart I might lose my lunch."
With Paula tucked in the crook of his arm, Anthony slipped his other arm around Karen met Tony's eyes. "Actually, Junior. That's the other reason we're here. Karen and I are getting married in two months. We wanted to tell you in person."
Tony was in shock and absently plunked down in the chair behind him. "Married? The two of you?"
Karen answered, "Tony, we've known each other since we were kids. I know all his faults and he knows all of mine. This is the right thing for the both of us."
"What do Mark and Jessica think?" Tony asked. Mark and Jessica were Karen's children; they were both married and had five children between them.
"They're happy for us, Tony. I hope you'll be happy for us, too."
Anthony added, "We want to travel and spend time with you and Mark and Jessica and all the grandchildren."
Tony was still floored. "I... I don't know what to say. This totally took me by surprise. But of course I'm happy for you. I think. Can I get back to you on that?"
Before anyone could answer, Paula made some very unladylike grunts and needed a diaper change. Karen took the baby from Anthony and had Tony point her in the direction of where to change her, leaving the two men alone.
When she had left the room, Tony asked his father plainly, "How long have you been sober?"
"Almost a year."
"And you and Karen?"
"Almost a year?"
"Somehow I don't think that's a coincidence."
"It isn't."
"You look good, Dad," Tony said unexpectedly warmly.
"It's been a hellva year, Junior, a hellava year."
Tony ran his hand thru his hair, scratching absently. "Tell me about it."
"She's beautiful, son," Anthony said gently.
A proud, goofy little smile flashed on Tony's face.
Karen soon came back with a sweeter-smelling Paula and sat down next to Anthony.
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It was a tableau repeated often throughout Paul's first two years both at Tony's apartment in D.C. and Karen's brownstone in New York City. Tony was stunned overall by what an incredibly attentive grandfather Anthony had turned out to be. He and Karen showered all of their grandchildren with love and attention. And it was at a family gathering for Karen's birthday, when all the kids and grandkids were together, laughing and celebrating, that Tony had another epiphany about family. He had always considered his team to be his and Paula's family, but he realized with a start that they weren't his only family. Karen's son and daughter had known Tony since he was a child and their relationships only strengthened after Karen and Anthony married, and Paula found herself with another doting aunt and uncle. It took a little while for Tony to get used to being called Uncle Tony, but only the littlest of whiles.
Life was good in Paula and Tony's little world.
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Shortly after Paula's second birthday and another miserable experience with the boiler in his apartment forcing them to crash at Gibbs' house, Tony went house hunting.
Round after round he went with several realtors. None of them finding exactly what he wanted. Gibbs listened to his frustrations with a grin, many of Tony's seemingly nit-picky things reminded him of himself when he and Shannon bought their home. And that right there was the secret, Tony wanted a home for his daughter, not just a place to live. He wanted a good neighborhood where she could grow up and be happy and safe. Gibbs knew all of this, and because he knew, he made a detour one afternoon when he and Tony were in the car on the way back to the office.
"Where are we going, Boss?" Tony asked as Gibbs made an unfamiliar turn.
"I wanna show you something," Gibbs replied but didn't elaborate.
They pulled up in front of a house with a for sale sign. It was similar in style and age to Gibbs' own. It wasn't as well maintained, and desperately needed a coat of paint and some yard work, but it had potential. The property was a good size, and the backyard was cordoned off by a new sturdy stockade fence.
Gibbs pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. At Tony's questioning look, Gibbs said, "I know the realtor, she gave me the key."
The house inside was empty, and in just as much need of a little TLC as the outside, but Tony's grin was wide as he went from room to room. It was perfect. And not just because it was only five blocks away from Gibbs house either.
They moved in six weeks later after a whirlwind closing and the hiring of a gaggle of painters.
The housewarming party was chaos, packing the house to the rafters full of family and friends.
Life was good in Paula and Tony's little world.
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After the unexpected interaction with Jeanne at the park that spring day just after Paula turned three, Tony was on edge for a long time, half afraid that Jeanne was going to somehow, someway try to take Paula from him. He read and re-read all the legal paperwork that they had both signed and he consulted not one, but three different lawyers. They threw around words like iron-clad and bullet-proof, but none of them made Tony feel any better.
Oddly it was the words from the two most important men in his life that finally reassured him. Gibbs' "over my dead body, DiNozzo" and his father's "oh, there's not a chance in hell, Junior" both negated his fears and made him realize that he had people who loved Paula almost as much as he did watching their six.
Life went on in their little world without incident for a long while until it was turned inside out and onto its head, not by Jeanne, but by an altogether different woman, this one wearing the uniform of a Navy chaplain.
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tbc...