Chapter 2

Gibbs pulls up at the front door of The Mayhem Centre. 'You knew all about them didn't you boss?' Gibbs glares at his subordinate as he turns off the engine. 'Of course you did, I mean you're Gibbs after all… I'm going to shut up now.'

'Good idea.' Gibbs grunts as he exits the car.

'Okay, but why didn't he tell us?'

'McGee, if no one knows he children don't you think they're going to be a lot safer than if people know?'

'Well yes-'

'So why do you think he didn't tell you?' Tim opens and closes his mouth like a goldfish.

'Good point.'

'Close your mouth.' Gibbs strides off making Tim stumble to catch up. Tim does catch up in time to hear Gibbs introducing himself over the intercom of the front door of the child care centre. 'Agent Gibbs and McGee, we're expected.' The door is buzzed and the two of them enter the warm and welcoming atmosphere.

'Agent Gibbs? I'm Andrea, we spoke on the phone?' The woman in charge of the centre approaches them.

'Course.' Gibbs grunts.

'The children will be out shortly. And Sally here will take Agent McGee to security.' She smiles at the stunned expression on Tim's face. 'Mr, sorry, Agent DiNozzo, always said that anything happens to him we were to give up custody to Agent Gibbs and his agents. And if, I believe he said, Probie McGee were to turn up to take him for the CCTV.'

'Wow.'

'Work smarter not harder McGee. Anticipate.' Gibbs growls.

'Yes boss.' He follows the younger woman through the centre to the security room leaving the other standing in the hall.

'He's not in on it then?' She murmurs to him.

'And he calls himself an investigator.' Gibbs mutters back as he absentmindedly rubs his ring finger with his thumb. 'Thank you for helping with the secret.'

'It's no problem. Remember that I'm the daughter of an agent. I know the risks.' Two children burst through a door, a girl of about ten and a boy of five.

'Uncle Jethro.' They cry, eyes twinkling just as McGee walks back towards them carrying the tapes. The boy, Jackson Thomas, wraps his arms around Gibbs' legs and squeezes them tightly. The girl, Mildred Caitlyn stands back to let her brother have his go before leaping into Gibbs' arms. Tim's jaw drops at the indulgent look on Gibbs' face as he shifts Mildred onto his hip and stoops to pick up Thomas. He frowns.

'Sally?' He murmurs. She nods for him to go ahead. 'Isn't Mildred too old to day care.' Sally laughs gently.

'The Mayhem Centre caters for children of all ages, on the most part we look after the pre-schoolers but we also take in children who are home schooled like those two, so they can learn all the social interactions at the same time as kids who go into school. At the moment the eldest child here is thirteen. And a genius in the making as are those two.' Sally gestures to the two of them in Gibbs' arms. He frowns, something doesn't seem quite right to him.

'You'll need their car seats.' Andrea informs Tim. 'Sally will take their bags out to your car.'

'Umm, okay.' He follows Andrea into the office and accepts the two car seats she hands him.

'You really didn't know?' She sounds astounded.

'Nope. Tony just really knows how to keep the important secret.' He turns and follows Gibbs back to the car, arriving just at he sets Mildred on the ground. He accepts Thomas into his arms awkwardly as he hands Gibbs one of the car seats. Gibbs quickly and efficiently secures it into the back seat and takes the young boy out of McGee's arms strapping him in securely. He ruffles the fluffy hair and presses a discreet kiss on his forehead. Jackson Thomas beams up at him. Stepping back and closing the door he takes Mildred's hand and the other car seat out of Tim's hands.

'McGee, when we get back to the yard. I want you to collect a tow-crew and get DiNozzo's car to Abby. Make sure they're careful with it.' Gibbs straps both the seat and Mildred into the car before straightening. 'Get in then.' He states gruffly. Tim shakes himself out of his reverie and climbs into the front seat.

'Shouldn't I just stay here?'

'Nope. You will be taking the tapes to Abby.'

'I'll have to tell her?' Tim's spirits drop in anticipation of telling the bouncy Goth about Tony's disappearance.

'Nope. Ziva will have told her already.'

'Abby lab bat?'

'That's right Tommy, Abby is the lab bat daddy talks about.' Gibbs' voice is cheerful as he speaks to the young boy sitting behind McGee. Gibbs starts the car and pulls out of the parking lot.

'Where we going?' Tommy's voice becomes weak and teary.

'We're going to see Daddy's work.' Mildred states.

'Why?'

'Because Daddy needs you there, Tommy. So he doesn't have to worry about you.'

'We don't want to worry daddy do we Uncle Jethro?'

'Quite right Mildred. We don't to worry Daddy.' A note of worry creeps into Gibbs' voice. Tim frowns but discards it placing it as Gibbs' normal worry about Tony. Tim twists round to look at the two kids. He can see the Mildred has Tony's emerald eyes and searching gaze. She looks up from her book and smiles at him. she most definitely has his smile. Tim smiles back on reflex. He shifts his look onto Jackson Thomas. The boy is almost an exact match to Tony's face but his eye are a clear blue rather than green like Tony and Mildred. Rather like Gibbs, Tim thinks distractedly but shakes the thought away as impossible and utterly ridiculous. He twists back to look out of the front window again and Mildred looks back at him. She glances at the rear view mirror and makes eye contact with Gibbs. The two smile simultaneously.

'What is it with kids?' Tim muses.

'What?' Gibbs gives him a confused glance.

'When they smile. All you want to do is smile back.'

'It's their innocence. You see it shining through.' Gibbs speaks so softly McGee has to strain to hear it. but hear it he does.