ALL SEWN UP
By
Ashleigh Anpilova
Gibbs arranges the reading of Ducky's will.
A Gibbs & DiNozzo-centric gen story.
Written: January 2012. Word count: 500.
McGee had been correct; his agent agreed to find a publisher for Ducky's book and by the end of day had five offers. Gibbs had left it to McGee to choose he one he thought would be best, not necessarily in terms of money.
In the end McGee's choice had been the smallest of the publishers, the ones offering the second lowest advance. But McGee had assured Gibbs they'd treat Ducky's book with the respect it deserved.
Thus with that sorted, Gibbs turned his attention to arranging the gathering in order for Ducky's lawyer to read the will. He'd thought about the location for some time; in the end he'd realized there was only one place.
Vance hadn't taken much persuading and if Ducky's lawyer thought it odd to read a will in NCIS's Autopsy, he didn't show it. Present at the reading were: Gibbs, the kids, Vance and Fornell.
"Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you coming here today. I have been entrusted by the late Donald Mallard to make his final wishes known to those present; the people he cared about most of all."
FORTY MINUTES LATER
Everyone was gathered around DiNozzo's desk in the squad room, but DiNozzo wasn't there. Gibbs's gut told him to find out where DiNozzo was and discover why he wasn't with the others.
He didn't have far to look, as he rounded the corner he all but ran into DiNozzo who was leaning against the wall, a puzzled look on his face. "Tony?"
DiNozzo looked up. "Boss?"
"Yes?"
"Did Ducky really leave me quarter of a million dollars?"
"No, Tony."
"That's what I thought. It makes sense that he didn't."
"He left you quarter of a million pounds," Gibbs said.
"Huh? But that's -"
"More than dollars, yeah, Tony."
"But why? I mean I get Abby and Palmer. I even get Tim and Ziva and the college funds for Fornell's Emily and Amira. And the thingy for NCIS. But why me? At least why the same as Abby, Palmer, Tim and Ziva? I used to mess around all the time. Do you know how he lectured me that time I fixed Ziva's chair so it broke when she sat on it? How angry he was with me?"
"Yep."
"He told you?"
"Nope."
"Oh. But I still don't -"
Gibbs sighed. "Tony, let's say you find a woman willing to settle down with you and give you kids. You have two boys; one's like McGee, works hard at school, doesn't mess around, does as he's told. The other's more like you; prefers sport to studying and likes practical jokes. Would you treat them any differently?"
"Of course not. They'd be my - Oh, I get it now."
"Good. Now come on, the others will be wondering where you are."
"Boss."
"DiNozzo?"
"I never really knew how much I cared about Ducky until he died. I always liked him, who couldn't. But until that day we all . . ."
"Yeah, Tony. I know. Now come on. Time to drink Duck's health one more time."
LINKS TO THE ENTIRE DUCKY'S BOOK SERIES