emeraldsnakes

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Title: Brothers

Friday April 22 2005; Samuel Atkinson's Apartment; California; 6:00am

Samuel Atkinson's apartment was four hours away from the nearest airport. He'd driven straight from it, knowing Gibbs would be following but not how far behind he was. The apartment itself was a mess, bullet holes, blood, shattered glass and splintered wood. He walked through it slowly, gun drawn. He passed Samuel's body in the kitchen, execution styled. He wasn't surprised to find David in the main room causally aiming a gun at their father who was uncomfortably tied to a chair in the center of the room.

"Put the gun down David."

David looked at him, "Or you'll do what? Shoot me?" He laughed, "You wouldn't shoot your family Antonio."

"You don't have a problem with it, why do you think I will?" Tony asked, though he knew David was right.

"You and James have morals," David said smiling ruefully. "And you're a cop."

"And yet I'm here alone," Tony pointed out. "What kind of cop does that? Just put the gun down David."

David shook his head, "I won’t. Do you really want dad to go free Antonio, after what he did to you? He's gotten away with it for so long."

Tony swallowed, his breathing quickening, "That was a long time ago."

"But you still remember everything he's done, like a festering wound that just won’t go away. It won’t go away Antonio, not until he pays."

Tony glanced at his father. The man was passively glaring at them and although he was free to speak, he didn't. Tony wondered if he regretted it, if he wished he'd never hurt him and forced him to leave. But his father's eyes held the same contempt they always had.

"It's not right David," Tony insisted, torn between desire and what was right.

"But you want it so bad, don't you." David said knowingly. "Let me do this Antonio. Let me do what I should have done when we were kids."

Tony shook his head, but his hands were shaking and his grip on his gun wavered.

"Unless you want to do it," David said suddenly. Tony's eyes widened, "You have every right to end his pathetic life."

"James-"

"Fuck James!" David snapped. "He doesn't care, and if he does it's not enough. He never knew, never bothered to see the signs and only made things worse for you. I saw them, too late but I saw them and I'm actually doing something about it. James never will."

"You killed mom! How is that doing something?" Tony yelled, near tears. He hated this, hate everything to do with his fucked up past. Why did it all have to come back? Why did David have to involve him?"

"That was an accident," David said, truly sorrowful. "I was aiming for him," he looked at their father briefly, "but she protected him." His gaze turned thoughtful, "She should have known though, should have seen what was going on. She always was too damn blissful."

Tony shook his head, trying to clear away the sudden tears. His mother, whom he'd been strangely close with, had protected his father from a bullet, but had never protected him. That wasn't blissfulness; it was ignorance or willful blindness.

"I......I can't let you do this." Tony got out without much conviction.

"Antonio, he belittled you, beat you and made you feel worthless. He made life so bad for you that you took to the streets at eleven and although I don't know how bad it was for you I know that it couldn't have been good. He failed you as a father, as a protector, and as a provider."

"You think I don't know that?" Tony yelled, tears streaming down his face, anger welling up inside him. "You didn't feel his fists on your face, you don't know the damage his words did to me. You don't know what's it's like to lose hope in your family, to wish for death to end your miserable existence! I know exactly what he did to me, you don't have to go over it again."

"But do you know why he did it?" David asked gently. "Now's your last chance to learn."

He turned to his father, gun grip strengthening now that it was pointed at the only man he hated with his entire being. "Why?" He asked the loaded question simply.

"I never wanted you," his father answered disgusted. "But your mother thought that James could benefit from having a younger brother and the experience that comes with it. It was clear though, that you were just a burden and that James would have just been fine without you. And you were just a little brat too, always getting into things you shouldn't have, jeopardizing all that James could be. You had it coming brat, ever since you were born. David at least had some sense to stay out of James' perfect future, but you never got it."

"That's enough," David growled walking towards their father livid while Tony sank to the ground boneless. "If you haven't noticed, James is just as fucked up as Antonio and I and Antonio is not a burden to anyone. He's a military cop for fucks sake and his career is just as important as James'."

He whipped the gun across his father's face then went back to Tony and knelt in front of him, "Now you see why he must pay? He was so blind little brother, but he was so cruel. He needs to pay. I'm going to make him pay."

Tony just watched as David fired three rounds into their father's chest. The man's head rolled back, eyes wide with shock and maybe a little bit of fear. The blood slowly oozed, following gravitation's pull, mesmerizing Tony because he couldn't believe he was finally gone. He was oddly happy, maybe the past could now be buried so deep that nothing could make it resurface.

"Here's your gun back," David said placing the glock on the floor between them. "I'm sorry I dragged you through all this shit again."

Tony nodded and David suddenly hugged him. Tony clung to him and started to cry. He cried because in the beginning life had seemed so fucking pointless and now actually meant something. Cried because of the relief he felt at his father's death and his brother's love. David held him until the tears dried.

Tony pulled back, embarrassed, "Sorry, this week is just not good."

"Understandable."

He stayed sitting with Tony, and Tony frowned, "Why aren't you running?"

"What's the point? I never wanted things to turn out this way. I wanted father to be dead, you to know but not really getting involved and for Julie and I to just.....disappear. I'll take my punishment."

In that moment, Tony made a decision that could ruin his career if anyone ever found out. "You overpowered me, cuffed me and killed Jonathan. Then you left."

David looked at him surprised, "You're letting me go?"

Tony nodded, "Give me a shiner or two and cuff me before common sense changes my mind."

"Why?" David asked, still bewildered.

"Cause you were right, and I can't bring just bring myself to arrest you. And you're my brother." Tony looked him straight in the eye, conveying all his love and thankfulness and took a deep breath. "Now hit me dammit and get out of here."