Being Part of the NCIS Family

Twelve

McGee POV
Ziva looked surprised.

"Why wouldn't you tell me that your parents are dead?" she asked.

"I didn't need any extra pity." Liv said. "I also wasn't sure how to tell you, because you've been through so much and it makes my life seem like a walk in the park." Ziva just looked at her.

"You have been through just as much." Ziva said, furrowing her brow. "Maybe not the same things as I have been through, but I never saw any combat, I was never as seriously injured as you have been." she told Liv.

"I still shouldn't have lied, and for that I am sorry." Ziva nodded.

"I don't blame you. I don't like talking about Father's death, or Ima's or Tali's." Ziva told Liv. "Or Ari's." her face darkened. "Ari's death was something that, while I hate to think about it, needed to happen. He was putting my family in danger." she said, looking around at the team.

"So you're not mad?" Liv asked. Ziva shook her head, smiling over at me from her bed.

"Of course not."

"Death can be hard to talk about." I chimed in. "We're glad you told us, though."

"Thanks for being so supportive. You do know that you're never going to not be my family, right?" Liv asked. Gibbs smiled.

"Looks like we're stuck with you, kid." he said. Liv smirked at him. "However many hospital visits it takes."

TIME SKIP

Liv POV
Later that night, while we were talking, Tony sat up suddenly in his chair.

"Senior!" he exclaimed.

"Excuse me?" Gibbs asked.

"I never told Senior about what happened. I haven't called him in months, since he came to visit after... well.." Toy gestured to his legs. "and he makes me call him every couple months. I'm at least a month overdue!" With that, Tony whipped out his phone and got out of his chair, heading for the hallway. "Be back in a bit, hopefully with my eardrums still intact." he told us. "That is," he mumbled to himself, "if Senior even noticed I haven't called."

Tony POV
I dialed my father's number and heard it start ringing. After a few rings, someone that was most definitely not my father picked up.

"I'm sorry, I meant to dial Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. Is he there?" I asked. I heard a sigh.

"Who is this?" a voice with a hint of a British accent asked.

"His son, Anthony DiNozzo, Jr." I told the man on the phone. "Who are you?" I asked.

"Detective Jacob Morrison, MPD." My stomach knotted up.

"Why does MPD have my father's phone?" I asked. Another sigh.

"Your father was murdered last night in his home. Two shots right to the heart." Jacob informed me. "We'll send the body your way as soon as we're done."

"Thank you." I said numbly, then hung up. I backed up to the wall and slid down it until I was sitting on the floor. I buried my face in my hands and tried not to cry. Sure, Senior hadn't been the best person, hell, he was one of the few people I knew with too many exes to count, but he was still my father. I loved him for the few things that made him at least sort of a good person.

Liv POV
"Tony's been out there for a while." I said. "Gibbs, come here and help me get my leg on. I'm going out there."

"Oh, hell no." Gibbs said.

"Oh, hell yes." I shot back stubbornly and started to get my leg on myself, and I think I did pretty well, actually. After a few minutes, I stood, a little shakily, but I stood, and went over to the door. Gibbs shook his head at me. I flung open the door and stepped into the hallway, the door shutting behind me. I turned to my left and right, but Tony was nowhere to be seen. As I turned back around, my eyes dropped to the ground, and there was Tony, his head in his hands. I walked over to him and squatted, my left leg going straight out to the side. I put my hand on Tony's shoulder and his head shot up. His eyes were red and raw. "Tony, what's happened?" I asked. "Is your father alright?"

"Senior's dead. Murdered last night at his house." I gasped and my hand flew to my mouth. I had met Senior once, he had come to visit while Tony was paralyzed, and I had loved every moment of our chats. Tony saw my reaction.

"How did it happen?" I asked, not sure whether I wanted to know.

"Two shots right to the heart is all they told me." I sat down all the way and sat against the wall, leaning my head on Tony's shoulder. He leaned on my head and we sat like that. I felt tears running down my cheeks. I knew what it was like to lose a parent.

"What's going on?" came Gibbs' voice. Tony and I looked up at him.

"Senior's dead, Boss. Murdered." Tony said, his voice gravelly.

"You'd better tell the team." Gibbs said. He pulled me to my feet, then pulled Tony up.

"Thanks, Boss." Tony and I said together. Gibbs nodded and pushed the door open for us.

DiNozzo POV
As I walked back into the room, followed by Gibbs and Liv, who was using Gibbs for support, everyone turned to me. Liv sat on her bed and I took a deep breath.

"I just spoke to Jacob Morrison of the Metropolitan Police Department. My father was murdered last night." A collective gasp came from Ziva and Tim, and Liv's brothers and Gibbs looked grim. "I should get his body soon and the funeral will be shortly after that.

"We're all coming." Ziva said determinedly. Liv nodded.

"You won't be healed yet, I'm sure. Liv won't even have a permanent prosthetic."

"Crutches for me." Ziva said.

"And I can walk on this just fine." Liv said, gesturing to the prosthetic, which was once again leaning on the bedside table. "We'll help you through this, okay?" I nodded. I could not have asked for a better family.