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Gibbs’ life changed drastically when he found out his wife and child died. He’d been just your regular Marine in Operation Desert Storm ready to die for his country. After finding out that his wife and child had been murdered in his home country, well he was understandably devastated and lost faith in what he was doing.
He was sent back to the mainland to recover and deal with his wife’s death. He planned to bury her and then return to the frontlines as he didn’t know what else to do. To say things didn’t go as he expected was an understatement.
First, his dad brought some floozy to the funeral. He couldn’t believe the nerve of his father, but even worse than that Shannon had changed her will. He had no idea when she’d done so, but apparently she now expected him to pick up her charity work.
He had no idea what she was thinking nor what had happened to cause her to change her will like this. Still he was willing to try anything for his wife. Her final letter asked him to work with the charity for a month and after a month if he hated it then he could quit.
Gibbs almost quit on his first day as he realized that his father worked there too. Still he was nothing if not stubborn. He would complete the task his wife set forth for him despite his father.
After the month was up, he would then leave triumphant; having completed his task. At least, that was the plan. It didn’t quite work out that way.
He couldn’t put his finger on what it was exactly, but somehow helping others made him feel better. The charity ran a soup kitchen and while steak wasn’t on the menu, Gibbs was able to help out in other ways. He made the children toys and served food to everyone.
He wasn’t much of a talker, but it didn’t seem to matter. A lot of the people were just happy to have an ear to listen to them, including a green eyed man about fifteen years younger than him. Gibbs didn’t understand Tony. The guy was down on his luck because his father had swept through town and bankrupted him again and yet he was still so happy.
He had less than Gibbs did, actually needing the food from the soup kitchen, but he was the one who made Gibbs smile. Tony’s winsome grin never failed to brighten Gibbs’ day. It was actually Tony that taught Gibbs that giving for giving is the only way to live and the only way to love.
By the time the month was up, there was no way Gibbs would stop working with the charity. Maybe Shannon knew him better than he thought when she left this last request. Regardless, he was thankful to her for the new happiness in his life and wouldn’t change a thing.
With Tony around, Gibbs could give of himself freely. Not only did giving give him joy, but when Tony found out about what Gibbs did he would provide his own reward for Gibbs. It was damn near close to perfect.
Their relationship was even better than his and Shannon's. Gibbs knew then and there that a love that wasn't given freely was no love at all. After having experienced this with Tony there was no way he'd ever be happy settling for less.
It was a good thing that Tony seemed to feel the same way he did. They shared a smile as they worked the charity and soup kitchen side by side. The rest of their lives awaited them, together, and they couldn't wait.