The Mirror Cracked.

Chapter 6

He heard voices outside the door and realized it was probably the cops. If he was caught talking to the cops the family would kill him for sure.

He opened his eyes, breathing a small sigh of relief as he found the room empty.

He sat up slowly, ignoring the pounding in his head and the pain in his ribs and looked for his stuff.

Finally, at the bottom of the nightstand beside the bed, he found his bag, he looked through and noticed that his gun had been hidden in the bottom. He smiled, 'Good old 'Ratz always having my back.' he thought.

He pulled his pants on, a T shirt over his head and slipped on his sneakers. Looking at the icy weather outside, he wished for a coat, but beggars couldn't be choosers, so he grabbed the sweater that was in the bottom of his bag. It was his favorite, his mother had kept it, it was the only thing he had that had belonged to his father. Pulling the old, faded, sweatshirt over his head, he winced as a pain shot through his head and he felt dizzy.

Putting the gun, deep into the bag he gathered his things and stood to go. Then he thought better of it as the room span and he collapsed to the floor.

"Going somewhere kid?" Fornell snapped as he walked into the room.

Tonio flashed his angry green eyes up at the old man, 'Cop.' his mind supplied, and he scowled at the man.

"I ain't done nothin' Cop." He snapped, moving himself into the corner his hand grabbing his bag protectively.

"I never said you did." Fornell smiled and crouched down to Tonio's level, "We heard you'd been hurt and I wanted to see if I could help."

"Why? I fell down." Tonio said, "I'm fine."

Fornell smiled, "I read your notes, you have a concussion, three broken ribs and multiple contusions."

"I fell down, a lot." Tonio added, "Clumsy me, that's all, I need to go."

"Where?" Fornell asked.

Tonio's eyes darted as he desperately tried to think, his usually quick mind dulled by the painkillers. "I...I...I have somewhere, I gotta go, if you ain't charging me, let me go."

Fornell stood up, "I'm not holding you, you're in hospital not in jail."

Tonio eased himself up the wall and stood swaying on his feet, "Then I'm out of here."

"What's your name kid?" Fornell asked.

"Tonio, Tonio DiNozzo Junior."

Fornell gave a short, barked laugh and maneuvered the boy to a sitting position. "You know you are actually in trouble, for impersonating a federal agent, maybe you wanna tell me your real name?"

Tonio glared at him, "That is my name, wouldn't use the damn thing if I had a choice."

The door opened and two other men entered the older one looking at the teenager and his eyes widening in surprise.

"You don't like the name DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked.

Tonio shook his head, "No. DiNozzo is a crook and I have nothing to do with him."

"Smart move." Tony scoffed, looking at the boy, "So, Senior is your dad?"

Tonio looked at the younger of the three men who had until now been silent.

He looked familiar, like his grandfather, maybe his grandfather had sent him to kill him?

Tonio looked at the man fear filling his eyes and he reached his hand in his bag, pulling out his gun and turning it on the three men.

"Who are you?" He asked warily, "I won't let you kill me!" He exclaimed holding the gun on the men.

"Easy kid we don't wanna kill you." Said Tony holding his own gun on the boy. "We just wanna find out why you're using my name."

"It's not your name, it's my father's name. Senior is my grandfather."

Tony dropped his gun and inch, his hand shaking. "What's your mother's name?" He asked.

"She's dead, it doesn't matter what her name is." Tonio said, tears springing to his eyes, "My parents are dead and I won't let you belittle their memories."

"Her name!" Tony all but shouted, at the last moment, remembering he was in a hospital.

"Maria, my mother's name was Maria Macaluso-DiNozzo, she died a year ago of Cancer."

Tony dropped his gun to his side, the age was right, he looked like him... Dammit he looked like her!

"She... She died... When she was 17 in a car explosion."

Tonio gave a mocking laugh, "You cops are stupid, you need to check your facts. My father died in an car explosion when he was 17, my mother was pregnant with me at the time."

Gibbs looked at the boy and then at Tony, in shock, it was clear the boy was telling the truth as he knew it.

"We were lied to." Tony breathed.

Gibbs put his hand on Tony's shoulder as he felt his son's anger.

"Tony..." Gibbs said.

Tony shook his head and walked over to Tonio who was still holding the gun.

"Give me the gun, son." He held out his hand.

Tonio shook his head, "I... Who are you?"

Tony held his hand out flat and looked his son in the eye, "I'm your father. I didn't die, we were lied to, come with me and we'll see if we can get the answers we both deserve."

Tonio dropped the gun into Tony's hand, "How do I know you are telling me the truth?" He asked as he stepped backwards, his gut told him that this man wasn't lying to him, but did that make his mother a liar? He shook his head in denial, "Mama wouldn't have lied to me." He breathed.

"She didn't son." Tony said softly, "She was lied to as well."

The pain of losing his mother and her final words to him hit hard.

"She went, to her death, hoping to be reunited with you again." He said, "I'm gonna kill them." His eyes flashed with anger and he tried to snatch the gun from Tony.

"No...!" Tony turned and quickly handed the gun to Gibbs and put his hands on his son's shoulders. "We do this right."

Tonio swayed as the pain hit him again and he started to sag, this was too much for him to cope with.

Noticing his son go down Tony's gut twinged with a feeling he'd never felt before, not like this, primal fear.

"Dad!" He gasped as he grabbed his falling son, holding him close before he hit the floor. "You're ok, you're gonna be ok." Tony repeated as his son's eyes fluttered and closed.