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Gibbs walked into the office, coffee cup held firmly in his right hand as he made his way from the elevador. The large room was bustling with noise, a little louder than normal, but nothing that really bothered the man. It was when he made it to his desk that he noticed a young boy smiling smugly towards Kate, McGee trying to ignore them as he typed away.
When it looked like none of his agents would answer his questioning look, he let out a sigh and spoke up. “McGee,” His voice boomed, pulling the man away from his computer.
“Yes, boss?” The slightly pudgy man responded, his head up and eyes alert.
Gibbs pointed towards the kid with his head, giving a look that told McGee he better explain it and quickly.
“Oh, uh, he’s the son of one of the, uh, men we brought in this morning.” He answered, sitting up a little in his chair and eyes darting over to the kid who seemed to tune into the conversation and flashed a smile at Gibbs.
“Anthony D. DiNozzo, lady killer extraordinaire.” He said, standing up and holding his hand out to Gibbs. When the older man didn’t shake his hand, the boy shrugged and pulled his hand back. “Your assistant over here is cute.”
“I’m an agent, and you’re going to want to watch your mouth, young man.” Kate answered.
“Ooh, feisty,” Tony laughed, making a meowing noise and holding his hand out like a claw.
“Can we please arrest him, too.” Kate asked Gibbs, honestly hoping the man would say yes.
Gibbs glared at the boy, who just took it and smiled back.
“Take it as a complement. You’re hot.” He said, taking his seat once more at the side of the unused desk.
Gibbs stood up, walking across the room and standing behind the boy in a few short strides. He firmy swatted the back of the kid’s head, knocking the smile right off his face as he spun around.
“Hey!”
“Annoying when people do things you don’t want them to, huh?” Gibbs said, taking his seat at his desk once more.
The boy’s jaw was set firmly as he rubbed the back of his head with his right hand.
“How old are you?” It took the boy a second to realize the old man was talking to him.
“Ten.” he said, arm falling at his side once more.
“Okay, one strike. Let’s try again.” Gibbs said, looking at the boy this time as he asked, once more, “How old are you?”
The boy let out a sigh. “Eight.”
“Much better,” Gibbs said, then turned back to McGee. “How long have they been prepping?”
McGee twisted his wrist, checking his watch before he said, “About an hour.”
Gibbs nodded, standing up once more. “Good. McGee, keep an eye on the kid. Kate, you're with me.”
“Boss, I’m really not good with kids.” McGee said, trying to not be the one responsible for the insufferable kid.
“Don't care.” And with that, Gibbs was gone, leaving McGee alone with the kid.
He let out a sigh, looking over at the kid as he pulled a stapler off the empty desk and fiddled with it. “You wanna see something that I should not be showing you?”
Tony perked up. “Hell yeah!”
McGee let out a small smile, deciding not to address the swearing and stood up, waving for the kid to follow him to the back elevator. The man hit the button and they waited as the elevator lowered, opening a few moments later to a very shiny hallway. McGee took lead, walking through automated doors as they slid open and into autopsy.
“Oh my gosh!” The kid smiled, walking around McGee and towards the table where a body was currently opened.
“Hey, you have to stay back. Can't have you compromising the evidence.” McGee said, pulling in the shoulder of the kid to have him take a few steps backward.
“Timothy, why is this young man down here?” An older man dressed in scrubs with a plastic face shield on asked.
“Sorry, Ducky.” McGee said, swatting Tony’s hand as he reached for a knife. “Boss has me babysitting and I needed to check on those marks you found on the body.”
Ducky let out a sigh, looking the boy over. “Alright. Just make sure he doesn't touch anything.” He walked over to the body, twisting the man’s neck and head to expose a small burn on the underside of his jaw. “It could be anything, but a taser is most likely. I sent pictures up to Abigale to analyze.”
“Alright. Anything else you found?” McGee sighed. This case was going to be impossible to figure out.
“Not yet, but Jimmy and I are working as fast as we can.” Ducky looked over his shoulder as a loud crash echoed off the hard walls.
Tony froze, a forced smile on his face as he looked at the men. Around him was a table on its side with several tools and jelly-bean shaped bowls scattered about. “Sorry.”
Ducky let out a sigh, lifting up the face mask. “Well, don't just stand there, clean it up.”
Tony nodded, picking up the table and the tray and all of the tools as fast as he could. It wasn't in order, but at least it was off the floor. Ducky turned back to the agent.
“You may want to get him out of here before he knocks something else over.”
“Will do. Sorry, Ducky.” McGee pulled the kid out of the shiny room and back into the elevator.
“Well, that was fun!” He smiled as the rode the elevator back up. “Who was the dead guy?”
“He was a marine, and you should try watching your mouth.” McGee warned. “Gibbs catches you talk about someone like that and he'll have your head.”
Tony was silent for a moment as the elevator rose. When he looked up, McGee felt like he was looking at a different kid. “Do you all think my dad killed that man?”
McGee was silent for a moment, then took a page out of Gibbs’s book and froze the elevator. He turned the the boy, putting his hands on either shoulder and staring into the boy’s eyes.
“I know this may be a little scary to have people looking into your dad. But you have to know that he's innocent until proven otherwise.” McGee said softly, eyes scanning and trying to read the boy in front of him.
Tony’s eyes looked down, a solace look sweeping across his face and making him look much older. “My father is no innocent man, agent.”
McGee saw as the kid shifted his face, the sad look disappearing behind a layer of cockieness. “So what's with that Gibbs dude anyway? He got a stick up his ass or something?”
McGee starting the elevator back up and ignored the comment.
“I'm just saying, he's a bit of a hard ass, am I right.” Tony shrugged his shoulder with a wicked grin across his face.
McGee was about to turn around and reprimand the kid, but he was beat to it when an older man called out.
“Anthony!”
All of the blood seemed to drain from the kid’s face as he turned around to face the origin of the voice. McGee could see that he was trying to keep a cocky nature, but it wasn't near as strong as it had been before.
The old guy looked pudgy and red, with a nose that didn't quite fit in the middle of his fat face. His eyebrows were furrowed in anger and annoyance. “Get over here.”
Tony followed the order, going to stand by his father’s side. DiNozzo grabbed the back of his son’s neck, squeezing tightly and making Tony wince.
“Are we done here, agent Gibbs?” DiNozzo asked with a snarl.
Gibbs glared at the man and his hold on the boy. His eyes were narrow as he, very subtly, nodded his head.
“Thank you,” DiNozzo spat, glaring at the team as he made way to the elevator.
“Boss?” McGee questioned as Gibbs grabbed his badge and gun and suited up. “Where are you going?”
“I've seen that look before,” was all Gibbs gave before he stomped out of the room.
-/-/-/-
“What the hell?” Tony yelled as his father threw a suitcase at him.
“Pack up, we're leaving.” DiNozzo said with an aggravated look. He stormed out of his son’s room and into the hall.
Tony looked at the case in disgust, then followed his father into the hall. “What they said is true, isn’t it?”
DiNozzo turned around, glaring at the boy. “You'll shut your mouth if you know what's good for you.”
Tony couldn't help as disgust crossed his face. He may have only been eight years old, but living with his father had made him understand things most kids his age did not. “You're… you…”
DiNozzo’s face was burning red in anger. “Now you shut your fucking mouth, boy! I am your father and you live in my house and have no right to argue with me!”
Tony's head was shaking, almost to the point of whiplash as he yelled, “No you're not! You're a murderer! You're a killer! And you deserve to rot in jail!”
Blind rage steeped across DiNozzo, causing him to stomp his way up the hall and pull back his hand. He hit. And he hit. And he didn't stop. This boy had disrespected him too many times; this annoying little pest had been nothing but a waste of space and time. And he made sure to yell those facts with each hit, ignoring the boy’s screams.
This wasn't the first time Tony had gone through this. He was well accustomed to his father’s rage. But it was the first time that Tony didn't know if he'd come out on the other end. He could hear himself scream in pain as a kick landed on his back, tears running down his face as he was caught across the face with a fist. The hand that kept his head shoved into the carpet and made it hard to breath. His head was yanked off the carpet by his hair and Tony tensed for the hit.
And then it was gone. No weight on top of him, no hand yanking his head around, no shoe in his stomach. When Tony cracked an eye to find out why, he saw his father being tackled to the ground by two men in police uniforms. Tony used what was left of his strength to kick his legs and grab traction to push as far away from the man as possible. And then there was a man in front of him, crouching down with a sad look on his tanned face. Tony recognized this man from earlier, form the offices.
He knew what Tony’s father had done. But he owned Tony nothing, so why was he here like he cared? Nobody actually cared about him, it was something Tony had known his whole life. There was a reason his mother didn't stay and his father ignored him. No one ever stayed longer than a few months before they were gone.
“Tony,” the man said gently, far softer than he thought a man like that could talk. “Tony, can you look at me please?”
It was then that Tony realized he hadn't taken his eyes off his struggling father for more than a second. They had him handcuffed, now. He forced his eyes to look into the cool blue of the agents, trying to read the man.
“Good, Tony. Good.” The man sat down on the floor, blocking Tony’s view. “Tony, does anything hurt?”
Tony looked down. He wasn't sure, but he had a slight taste of metal in his mouth and blood covered his jeans. His head was still rearing as an EMT came toward him with a bag and he pushed himself further against the wall. He didn't hear what the agent said, but it must have been enough to get the man to leave.
“Tony, I know you're scared, but I need you to tell me if anything hurts.” The agent pushed.
Tony shrugged, the minimal amount of moment becoming much more difficult with him shaking so hard.
“Okay, that's probably just the shock. Tony,” the agent said, pulling Tony’s attention to him once more. “We need to go downstairs. Can you walk?”
Tony didn't know, but he still tried to stand up. He was able to get to his feet and stay there for about two seconds before he felt his legs giving out. The agent was there to catch him, grabbing him from behind his knees and below his neck to lift him bridal style.
Tony just laid limp in the man’s arms, not really able to do anything else. He was cold and shaking and his whole body felt like it wouldn't listen to him even if he begged
Gibbs easily carried the boy down the stairs, keeping his grip tight as the boy shook hard. He tried to be as soft as he could when he walked out of the house and towards the ambulance where the EMTs stood waiting.
“Treat for sock first,” Gibbs said as he sat the boy down. “And get a blanket around him.”
The EMTs nodded and started their look through of the boy, throwing around jargon that Gibbs only half understood.
On the lawn stood his team, Kate helping the LEOs put DiNozzo in the back of the car none-too-carefully and McGee pulling out his camera to begin documentation. The lawn itself was beautiful, a cobblestone path leading up to a wide archway with the front door. The whole lawn was scattered with trees and bushes, each expertly kept. Flowers lined the beds under the windows, blowing gently on the breeze. It seemed so contrary to everything else that was going on.
Kate looked up after the patrol car took off, walking over to her boss. She stood silently next to him for a moment before she asked, “How'd you know?”
Gibbs looked to her for a second, then back at the house. “Gut feeling.”
In a few more moments, the ambulance sirens flared on and Gibbs turned his head. “If you've got this, I'm going to follow him to the hospital.”
“Sure thing, boss.” Kate said. “We'll meet you there when this is finished.”
Gibb nodded and simi-jogged to the ambulance, pounding on the door for it to open. When it did, Gibbs hopped in the back and the truck took off.
The kid looked horrible, eyes at half-mast as they looked over the agent. He had blood staining his shirt and pants, and a fast-forming bruise around his eye. His arm wasn't looking much better as it laid across his chest. Gibbs sat a hand on the boy's knee gently in silent reassurance.
The hospital wasn't a long trip and, before Gibbs knew it, the boy was being whisked away to be treated. Gibbs sat in a chair in the waiting room, staring at the floor. He wasn't the kind of man who would normally think through all the “what if’s,” but they couldn't help floating through his mind. Every thought twisted his stomach more and more.
He'd raced out of the office after the DiNozzo’s left, Kate and McGee hot in his heals. Driving more manic than usual--which was saying something with the way Gibbs preferred to drive--he'd made the trip in half the time.
The house looked peaceful when he pulled up, birds chirping and wind blowing the trees ever-so-gently. And then a scream came from inside the house, sending the birds into the air and out of the trees.
Gibbs’s heart skipped a beat as he realized it was a child’s scream. His feet took over his head, rushing on the door. He knocked as hard as his hand would let him, announcing who he was. He didn't give a chance for there to not be an answer and he tested the door and found it unlocked.
It wasn't hard to figure out where the screaming was coming from, all Gibbs had to do was follow it up the grand staircase and to the hallway. It was going to be weeks before Gibbs got the picture out of his head of DiNozzo lifting his fist and landing it on the boy’s chest, other hand keeping the kid still with a death grip on his hair.
Gibbs rushed the man, tackling him to the ground and getting a good hit across his snarky, fat face. He didn't even care if he got written up for it, it felt good. That was when two LEOs walked up the stairs, guns raised.
“Put those down and put this bastard in chains!” Gibbs demanded.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the boy moving farther away from his father. Tears were streaming down his face and blood was forming a streak from his head to the floor, matting his hair as it dripped.
His brown eyes were wild, searching all around and not seeming to see anything. It was so different from the kid he’d met earlier that day with nothing but comebacks and sass. Gibbs wasn't even sure if that kid was the one on the floor. The spark of mischief was gone from his eyes, the cocky smiled lost as he feared for his own life. And Gibbs broke just a little on the inside.
Gibbs was pulled out of his thoughts by the sounds of running feet, and then thin arms wrapped around him and a black umbrella sat on the floor.
“Gibbs, oh my god, are you okay? Is Tony okay? How'd you know to follow them?” Abby started rambling off question after question without giving Gibbs much of a chance to answer. “What's going to happen to the guy that did this? Please say he won't be living happy. He doesn't deserve to after what he did to that poor little guy.”
“Abby,” Gibbs said, looking the woman in the eyes. “One thing at a time. I'm fine. Tony will be okay. I don't know exactly what will happen to DiNozzo, but it won't be anything fun.”
Abby sighed and slumped in her seat, leaning her head on Gibbs’s shoulder. “I'm just happy you got there in time.”
Gibbs wrapped an arm around the woman, squeezing her in a small hug. “Me too.”
They sat like that for a while, right up until Kate, McGee, and Ducky stepped into the waiting room at the same time as a doctor.
Gibbs and Abby stood, worry laced into their faces as they looked at the doctor.
“Are you here with Anthony DiNozzo the second?” The doctor asked. Gibbs nodded his head and the doctor went on, addressing the whole group. “We've done xRays and blood work, which showed us he had a broken arm and pretty bad bruising on his stomach and chest. We were mainly worried about internal damage, but other than a few cuts and abrasions, he should be okay.”
The whole group let out a collective sigh of relief.
“But, I do have to ask you if you knew the child before this incident.” The doctor went on. When no one said otherwise, the doctor assumed they didn't. He let out a sigh. “You all may have come at just the right time.”
“What do you mean?” Ducky asked before anyone else had a chance.
The doctor waved his hand, telling the group to follow him. The man pulled a manila envelope from behind a desk and pulled out xRays, holding it up to the light.
“Oh my,” Ducky said as the arm showed up, faint white lines scattered around his elbow to his wrist.
The doctor nodded, holding up another few images before Ducky told him to stop.
“What is it, Ducky?” Abby asked worriedly.
“Our young mister Anthony has not had an easy life.” Ducky said, shaking his head with a solace look across his face. “This is many, many years of the boy of the reviving end of some very vicious blows.”
The doctor nodded, putting the images away behind the desk once more. “We've taken pictures and made copies of everything to send to Social Services. They're on their way now.”
“What will happen to Tony?” Abby asked, looking from Gibbs to the doctor.
The doctor’s face seemed to sadden a little more. “We’re not sure. There's no family to take him and he doesn't have anyone he can stay with. He'll most likely end up in foster care.”
The group looked solemn as the doctor lips pursed.
“May we see the boy?” Ducky asked after a moment.
The doctor nodded. “Yes, but try not to excite him too much.”
Ducky nodded and they followed the doctor to a room with two beds in the children's ward. Luckily, the other bed was empty and allowed for Kate and McGee to sit on it. Ducky and Gibbs each took a chair. No one really seemed like talking as they stared at the figure on the bed.
He seemed so small here, one arm in a sling tight across his chest and the other palm-up with an IV sticking out of it. His eyes were closed, mouth partially opened. He just kind of looked like he was sleeping.
“He's a bit different from the annoying little twit this morning.” Kate laughed, trying to lighten the mood.
McGee cracked a smiled looking over to her. “Yeah.”
Abby looked between Gibbs and his team, then let out a large sigh and let her hands fall to her lap. “Guys, are we really not going to address this?”
“Address what?” Kate asked, looking confused.
Abby stuck her arms out towards the boy on the bed, then to the team. “Boy that needs home, people that have homes.”
“Abby…” McGee started. He couldn't pretend he wasn't thinking about it, but his apartment was too small. He couldn't take in a kid. He looked over to Kate.
“Oh no. Nuh-uh. I already too in one of Abby’s strays and it's still peeing on my carpet.” Kate said, shaking her head. “If Abby wants him taken in, why doesn't she just take him?”
“Kate! I can't have kids where I live!” Abby exasperated.
The whole time they were going back and forth, Gibbs was staring at the boy on the bed. There was something about him that told Gibbs he wasn't really just an annoying kid. And then, Gibbs heard the voice of his wife in the back of his head.
It wasn't her real voice, but something that always seemed like she'd say in relevance to a situation. It had saved his ass many times, and right now, it was screaming that there was a boy who had lost his everything. Who needed someone to take care of him. Who was completely alone in the world. And here sat Gibbs with an empty bedroom and a home that could take him.
And it must have been Shannon's voice when he looked up and said, “I'll see what I can do.”
The room went silent. And then Abby smiled.
She nodded at him in perfect understanding. She knew who it was that made him say that.
Gibbs stayed that night after calling Sharon to let her know where he was and what was going on, unable to sleep as thoughts raced through his head. He wasn't really sure how he was going to bring it up to the kid, but he knew for a fact that he was already approved for fostering through work. Having helped so many kids did that. But everything else would have to wait until the morning.
Tony wasn't sure where he was when he woke up. Everything hurt and it was hard for him to force his eyes open. When he did, he was able to to just barely look around the dark room before his eyes closed again. When he was able to pry them open once more, the room was a little brighter and he could see a man sitting in the chair.
Tony blinked to make sure it was real, then cocked his head just slightly in question. And then the whole thing came crashing down in him. He leapt out a groan as everything flashed through his head. And then questions. So many questions.
“Hey, Tony,” an older man’s voice rang through.
Tony cracked an eye once more to see that the man sleeping had been the agent from before.
“Hey man,” the agent smiled. “Do you remember me?”
Tony let out a sigh and spoke with a raspy voice, “You're the agent from yesterday.”
“Yeah,” the man smiled. “Agent Gibbs.”
“You arrested my father.” Tony said, eyes not revealing anything, which was not something Gibbs thought any eight-year-old should be able to do.
And, yeah, Gibbs had to admit that stung a bit. It didn't matter if DiNozzo had been a horrible person, he was still Tony’s father. And Gibbs had taken him away. It was a weird mix of feelings, knowing he'd done the right thing but still feeling kind of bad for it.
Suddenly, all of his doubts disappeared when Tony looked at him and said, “Thank you.”
And Tony broke. Tears fell from his eyes that he reached an arm up to try and cover, but the sobs were hard and moving the whole bed. Gibbs carefully wrapped an arm around the boy and hugged him. Tony curled into the touch, grabbing a fistful of the agent’s shirt with his right arm.
It hurt to listen to. The kid’s entire world was gone and all of the hurt from Gibbs-didn't-want-to-know-how-long of both physical and mental abuse was coming to the surface. And it didn't look like it was letting up anytime soon.
After nearly twenty minutes, the boy calmed down. He rubbed an arm at his running nose and just leaned into Gibbs, accepting the man’s hold on him.
At some point, Gibbs had managed to sit on the bed and get Tony in his lap, arms wrapped around him tightly. That was around the same time Tony started calming down.
Finally, after a few more minutes of nothing but the beeping of machines, Gibbs asked the question. “I know things are hard right now, and I know you don't really know me or my team yet, but--and only if you want to--I have a room in my house I don't really use for much. I sometimes work long hours, so I may not always be there, but I have a wife and my team has offered to come over and help. The room is yours if you want.”
Tony looked up at Gibbs for a moment, taking in what the man said before more tears came to his eyes. Gibbs wasn't really sure what to do until Tony nodded his head yes, wiping at his eyes.
This was the first adult he'd ever have show him kindness and Tony was overwhelmed. The man had saved him and stayed with him and hugged him. And now he was giving Tony a place to stay. What was he supposed to do? Tony had no idea, so he just cried. Longer and harder than ever before. And for some reason, Gibbs let him.
Later that day saw Tony up and walking around. Gibbs had walked with him to get something to eat and he'd been allowed to sit and play in one of the toy rooms for a bit. Gibbs stood by the window watching as the boy looked kind of lost.
A pair of arms wrapped around his waist and Gibbs looked over his shoulder in time for someone to plant a kiss on his lips. He savored the moment before pulling back with a smile.
“How’s he holding up?” Shannon asked, resting her chin in his shoulder.
Gibbs looked back into the toy room and sighed. “I'm not really sure. He seems okay, but I have a feeling that is something he's very good at faking.”
Shannon hummed, thinking for a moment. “He's cute, huh?”
Gibbs laughed. He knew she'd say that. And it was true, the kid had curly brown hair and big brown eyes that seemed to glow whenever he was happy. But he still looked kind of broken inside, his smiles not quite ever reaching his eyes.
“I'm going to go say hi.” Shannon proclaimed, swatting Gibbs’s butt with a smile before she walked into the room.
Gibbs rolled his eyes with a smile as his wife sat down at the table Tony was working at. Tony smiled at her in greeting, going back to fiddling as she talked. It didn't take long at all for Shannon to have the boy drawing a picture for her, a slight proud twinkle in his eyes as she said it was the most amazing thing she'd ever seen and asked if she could keep it. Tony nodded yes, and watched as Shannon stood with the promise to come back in a minute.
When she walked backed to Gibbs, it was with a sad smile. “You're going to want to see this.”
Gibbs’s brow crinkled in the middle as Shannon held up the picture which featured two humanoid figures, one on a raft with what must have been a sail and the other just sitting out there on a large open sea. In the distance, there seemed to be an island with a palm tree and red coconuts. The sun was small and set into the corner with a strip of blue for the sky at the top.
“I don't understand,” Gibbs said, looking from the picture to his wife.
“I asked him to draw his friends.” She said, as if that would explain everything.
“I'm still lost, sweetie.”
“Jethro, he's lost. He feels alone and scared. This island over here, that's how he sees the world. He doesn't feel a part of it. He's over here on this raft alone out in the middle of the sea.” Sharon pointed to each thing in turn as she spoke.
“But there's this guy out there with him. The one with the sail on his boat.” Gibbs said, pointing to the red triangle.
Shannon smiled. “That's why I'm proud of you.” At Gibbs’s confused look, she said, “he told me that was the agent on the other side of the window.”
For a second, Gibbs was confused. And then realization struck. “I'm the one on the boat with a sail?”
Shannon nodded. “You're the one saving him.”
And for a moment, Gibbs couldn't help the overwhelming need to run into the room and hug the boy for the next century. He didn't act on it, though, just letting Shannon's hand slide into his and squeeze it.
“I think it's time we get this guy out of here, what do you say?” Shannon asked, looking up at Gibbs through her eyelashes.
“I'd say I wanted to do that hours ago, was just waiting on an okay from the man of the house.” Gibb joked.
Shannon laughed, a beautiful sound the filled the halls and made Gibbs smile before she reached out to kiss him. “Let's get this boy home.”
And that was how Gibbs found himself looking in the rearview-mirror at the kid in the back seat the entire ride back to his house. He was quiet, not really saying much the whole ride.
When they reached the house, Gibbs jumped out of the car to pull the boy’s suitcase out of the back as Shannon led the boy to the front door and inside.
Tony was surprised how simple the home seemed. It was warm and pleasant, with a sweet smell in the air that Tony quickly recognized from the two adults. This is a home, Tony thought. It wasn't like what his old one at all. It was so much better.
“Hey, Tony, sweetie, why don't we show you around and then we can get you settled in, okay?” The woman--Shannon--asked. Tony was starting to like her a lot; she seemed really nice and kept giving him all these weird nicknames that Tony secretly loved.
The showed him the kitchen and said he was welcomed to everything in there, but to ask before he cooked food in the microwave. Then they took him upstairs to show him the bathroom and their room and, finally, the room he'd be staying in.
Gibbs already had his suit case half unpacked and in the drawers. Kate had gone back by his old house to pick up a few things until he was ready to go himself.
The room wasn't as big as his old one, but Tony found he really didn't care. There was a bed made in the corner and a dresser across from a small closet. It wasn't fancy or anything, either. Simple and fun. Tony liked that.
“We'll leave you to unpack everything else. If you need us, just call out, okay.” Shannon said, reaching a hand out for Gibbs to follow.
Tony nodded his head, looking around for a moment before saying, “Agent Gibbs?"
Gibbs turned around with a smile, crouching down a bit as he said, “You can just call be Jethro, if you'd like.”
Tony nodded. “Thank you. You know… for everything.”
Gibbs smiled and wrapped his arms around the boy, mindful of his arm. “Anytime, bud.”
Tony relished in the moment, wrapping his right arm around the older man. Gibbs just sat there for a moment, knowing that Tony might just need the contact.
But Tony pulled away before he was ready and smiled up at him.
The adults walked out of the room and down the hall to the stairs. They settled in the living room, not talking or turning on any noise until Tony came back down. The boy sat on the other side of the couch from Gibbs and Shannon, but they didn't mention it as Gibbs flipped on the TV and found a movie playing.
It was going to be a lot of work, but maybe--just maybe--the little boy in the edge of the couch would be okay.