A/N: We have reached the end, my friends. This chapter is a little longer, but I always have a hard time finding the end. I had hoped to make more song references (like in chapter 1), but the cases kind of took over. There is a bit of a shout out to chapter 1 at the end. Again, a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to read and review this. I had fun writing it.

Disclaimer: I do not own any recognizable characters or places. I am making no money from this, and no copyright infringement is intended.

Warning: This chapter contains explicit sexual content, so if you are under 18 or you're not into that kind of thing, please don't read the first half of this chapter! You've been warned!

No beta! Sorry for any silly mistakes.

It was a beautiful clear summer evening. Rain that had been threatening all day never materialized. Standing on the sidewalk as the city bustled around him, Gibbs let out a loud, shrill whistle. Seconds later a Yellow Cab came to a screeching halt at the curb. Gibbs opened the back door and helped deposit Tony inside. They rode in silence all the way back to their hotel.

Gibbs had been worried since they left the restaurant. Tony's reaction to his father's apparent support of their relationship and walking back his past reservations about Tony's chosen career path worried him. Just Tony being rendered speechless for any length of time was cause for concern.

"Tony, you okay?" Gibbs asked once they were inside the elevator at the hotel. Tony nodded absently but did not answer. Gibbs cocked his head and frowned. Maybe once they were back in their room, alone, Tony would open up to him … maybe.

"Here, sit," Gibbs directed after getting Tony situated on the couch, switching on the TV, and handing him the remote. He returned several minutes later with two steaming mugs of coffee.

Tony finally turned and looked at Gibbs with a weak smile. He accepted the offered coffee, doctored to his liking with copious amounts of cream and sugar, and took a sip. He placed the mug on the coffee table and cleared his throat.

"Gibbs, what just happened?" Tony asked.

Gibbs shrugged.

"I'm not really sure. Are you okay, though? You seem a little … off," Gibbs offered.

Tony's eyes were glassy and he had a far away look.

"I remember being at the restaurant and eating dinner. You know how I love lasagna! Anyway, my dad was there and we were talking. You were there, too, of course. I was telling him something. I think it was something important.

Tony paused. His brow furrowed as he tried to piece together fragments he could recall of their earlier conversation. He gasped and gaped at Gibbs with wild eyes.

"Gibbs, did I just out us … to my dad?" Tony asked.

Gibbs chuckled and nodded.

"Yeah, you sure did. Pretty much told him off, too. He mentioned something about Ziva and then you started in and told him everything, about the case, about Ziva being in prison, McGee getting shot, and … us. I gotta say, he handled it pretty well. Better than I expected he would," Gibbs said.

Gibbs assessed Tony's reaction over the rim of his coffee mug as he took a drink. The puzzled look on Tony's face was priceless.

"But we never even talked about telling him, or announcing it to anyone for that matter. I never even considered telling him. I don't care what he thinks, but still. He didn't have a heart attack or disown me for good or anything, did he? This had to have at least seriously blown his mind. Why didn't you stop me?"

Gibbs shook his head and placed his coffee cup on the table next to Tony's.

"Why would I do that? Tony, you told your dad things that you've been holding in for years. I think you two may have actually cleared the air a little bit. He admitted he was a shitty father when you were a kid, and who was he to judge how you live your life now. Said he was wrong about expecting you to grow up and be like him. He knows you are really good at your job. Just said he was gonna need some time to get his head around us being together. Said he didn't know you and I were gay, what with all of your women and my ex-wives," Gibbs reported with a grin. "Don't worry, I think you explained the whole bisexual thing pretty well. I think you got through to him."

Tony sat stunned. How in the hell was Gibbs being so calm about this?

"Tony, it's okay. He's fine. It's all good. Your dad even sprung for dessert. Cherry cheesecake."

Gibbs continued to grin at Tony, his blue eyes dancing with a combination of amusement and affection.

"How can you be so calm? I'm freaking out over here!" Tony announced.

Gibbs took hold of Tony's hands and squeezed them.

"Why? We decided that no one else gets a say in our relationship. Remember? That it's just you and me and to hell with everyone else. Besides, everyone who matters knows and they're happy for us."

Tony nodded.

"Now, I don't know about you but I'm dying to check out that big shower and get our vacation back on track. Ya with me?" Gibbs asked, eyebrows waggling and dick stirring in his pants.

Tony grinned and jumped to his feet. He had been dreaming of this moment. Hot, steamy shower sex with Gibbs! He flashed his toothiest smile and practically dragged Gibbs toward the bathroom.

His head fell back with a thunk against the tiled wall. His legs were wobbly and his mind had short circuited, rendering him incapable of uttering more than a strangled, "Guh". Before him, Gibbs rose gracefully from his knees, smug smirk firmly in place, amid a cloud of steam to plunder his mouth.

Tony was grateful that Gibbs' strong hands and firm body kept him from collapsing as he came down from what he could only describe as 'the mother of all orgasms'. Gibbs had well and truly rocked his world. He may have been a novice at first and a bit unsure of himself, but the man had figured things out in pretty short order.

To Tony's delight, Gibbs didn't possess many inhibitions and had few boundaries. Inflicting pain was out. Tying up, dirty talk, employing toys, and the occasional spanking were in. Every night together in bed was an adventure. Gibbs was a natural top, which was fine by Tony. It made those occasions when Gibbs begged for him to take control and fuck him all the more special.

"'Ya okay there, Tony?" Gibbs asked as he reached for a bar of lightly-scented French milled soap.

"Okay? Jesus Gibbs!" was Tony's panted response. "That was amazing."

"I do what I can," Gibbs replied with a wry chuckle. He rolled the bar of soap in his hands to work up a rich later and set to work lovingly soaping Tony up. His fingers danced across the firm plains of Tony's chest and circled hardened nipples drawing a lingering grown in response. Tony was so responsive to even the slightest touch.

In such a hurry to try out the huge glass-enclosed shower, they had forgotten to grab a condom and lube in the rush to get naked. Tony picked up the tiny bottle of baby oil from the corner shelf in the shower and slapped it against Gibbs' chest.

"I swear to God, if you don't fuck me right now I will go insane," Tony stated, having found his voice.

"Tony, we forgot …" Gibbs tried to say before Tony grabbed the sides of his face.

He looked into Gibbs' eyes with such intensity that Gibbs swallowed hard. The trust and desire dancing in the emerald green spheres had Gibbs rock hard, leaking, and almost desperate for release.

"I don't care," Tony said in a husky, breathless tone. "I'm clean and I trust you are." At Gibbs' affirmative nod and smile, Tony said, "Well, okay then."

It took only a few minutes to stretch his already boneless lover. Facing the wall, Tony braced himself, opened his stance, and waited. It wasn't long before he felt the now familiar glide of Gibbs sliding into him and filling him.

They started a slow and sensual dance. Tony's moans and curses spurred Gibbs on. The pace picked up until Gibbs was slamming into Tony, who met every powerful thrust. Gibbs obliged, and after several minutes he came with a loud growl. He finished by biting down on Tony's shoulder leaving an impressive purple bite mark. Tony shouted out as he came weakly a second time.

Damn the exorbitant cost, Gibbs liberated two bottles of beer from the mini-fridge while Tony threw a bag of popcorn in the microwave. Washed, dried and wrapped in thick, thirsty hotel-issue bathrobes, they settled in to surf the channels on the TV. Tony tossed the remote onto the coffee table when he came across a rerun of a favorite "Magnum PI" episode that had just started. Cuddled up with Gibbs after a rather bizarre evening was a perfect end to the day.

Gibbs wondered if the old adage was true: 'You have to go back to work to rest up from vacation'. Tony had done a masterful job of playing tour guide during their time in New York City. They couldn't have asked for more perfect weather. Over four days and nights, they hit almost all of the go-to tourist spots. Gibbs' knees balked at the mere thought of climbing the giant spiral staircase up the inside of the Statue of Liberty, but he enjoyed the ferry ride and strolling around the island. Central Park, Ground Zero, and Chinatown were highlights. Gibbs especially enjoyed strolling the streets of Brooklyn neighborhoods and admiring the architecture of its famous row houses and brownstones.

They walked up and down Broadway taking in all of the sights and sounds, and got amused locals to take their picture in front of various theater marquees and landmarks. As promised, Tony didn't try to drag Gibbs in to see a play or a musical. Instead, they bought jerseys at Madison Square Garden and became de facto New York Rangers hockey fans. Neither of them knew the first thing about ice hockey, but they were quickly caught up in the excitement of the rowdy sellout crowd. They celebrated a Rangers win over the rival New Jersey Devils with high-priced beers and nachos.

The final day in the city meant shopping for souvenirs. Abby had warned them about returning empty handed since she, Ducky and Palmer were not given the same time off. Gibbs had tried his best to include them in his vacation request to Vance, but he was rebuffed.

"Gibbs, I can't send the whole damn agency on vacation at the same time. Other teams around here get cases too, you know. Sorry, but Ms. Scuito and Dr. Mallard will have to wait their turns," Vance ordered. It was hard to argue with that. It wasn't like they had a whole platoon of medical examiners or forensic experts on staff; they just had the best ones.

The train ride back to D.C. gave Gibbs a chance to get Tony's thoughts on the two finalists to replace Ziva.

"You know, I really hate that it's come to this," Tony muttered as he closed the thick file on Army Chief Warrant Officer Jessica Thompson. She had flown Black Hawks on support missions in Iraq and Afghanistan and has recently been honorably discharged. Married with a young son, she was looking for a new challenge that would keep her closer to home.

Tony stared out the window and mused, "I don't think what Ziva did will ever make sense to me. I never thought she would betray us like that."

Gibbs closed the file on Lieutenant Sarah O'Neill and sighed. She had just left active duty with the Navy, having served as a systems analyst. Sitting at a computer reading lines of code all day at the Pentagon was not very exciting. She wanted an opportunity to better serve her country, and she thought a career in federal law enforcement was the answer.

"Yeah. Me either. It wasn't easy replacing Kate, not that Jenny gave me any choice. She forced Ziva on us. We were mourning Kate and never got a chance to vet her. Not sure even McGee would have been able to find much about her other than what was in her official dossier, but we could have tried. At least this time we get a say in her replacement," Gibbs replied.

Tony leaned against Gibbs and put his head on his shoulder.

"Are you sure Vance won't let us just be a three-man team again, like it was with you, me and Kate? I mean, McGee's back now and good as new, so we don't need anyone else. We can kick ass with just the three of us. We managed just fine when you left Ziva on the tarmac in Israel, thank you very much."

"Yeah, but times have changed, Tony. Vance is under orders to keep a woman on the team. Why, I don't know. And this way you'll have a new probie to haze and boss around," Gibbs offered.

"Nah. It wouldn't be the same. Hell, it would be like cheating on McGee," Tony said with a laugh.

"Well, you, me and McGee are going to interview these two after I have him do a deep dive and pick their lives apart going back to grade school," Gibbs announced. "Not taking any chances."

The next few weeks passed by in a blur. Case after case, with interviews sprinkled in, filled their days. Choosing Ziva's replacement was proving to be a monumental task. Tony and Gibbs favored Chief Warrant Officer Thompson while McGee and Vance preferred Sergeant O'Neill. Different skill sets, but both very valuable. Both candidates had pleaded their cases and their records spoke for themselves. McGee found nothing of consequence in either of their backgrounds, save for a traffic ticket or two. It was going to be a difficult decision.

"Gibbs, I told you that SecNav wants a woman in that chair, so hurry up and pick one. I need your decision by the end of the week, or I'll have to choose for you," Vance demanded. He knew that if it were left to Gibbs, the chair would never be filled with an outsider.

Tony sighed and leaned back in his chair. Despite everything, he missed his old partner. He just wished he knew what it was that set Ziva down a path of self-destruction. It would be nearly impossible to find anyone with her weapons knowledge and fighting skills. Ziva was definitely good to have around in a fight! They had gotten off to a rocky start, but they had somehow managed to build a good working relationship and friendship, or so he thought.

After much discussion and debate the MCRT was once again complete. CWO Thompson and Sgt. O'Neill were thanked for their honor, duty, and service, but in the end it was Vance who made the call. Ziva's chair would be permanently manned by ... Agent Eric Malloy. He realized that having someone already known and trusted by the team was more important than being politically correct and replacing Ziva with another female agent. SecNav and other brass would just have to deal with it.

Woods and Malloy had been reassigned to what many agents referred to as "babysitting duty". They headed up protection details for visiting dignitaries and their families. They were a couple of the guys you saw every day on the news with their dark suits and dark glasses surrounding some big shot getting off of an airplane who was then whisked away in a stretch limo.

Woods had approached Tony after hours about taking Ziva's place. He had to admit that his short tenure with the team had been an exciting one. It would also keep him in town and he wouldn't be putting his life on the line for a bunch of strangers. Plus, he had a wife and family to consider. Tony was sympathetic but quick to shoot him down.

"Dude, I'll run it by Gibbs, but I guarantee he's gonna tell you the same thing. You do not want this. You think playing bodyguard is dangerous? Yeah, there is a slim chance that someone may take a shot or try to get to your charge, but this job? Seriously? Have you not been paying attention? McGee got shot. I got beat to hell and stabbed. Gibbs has been blown up more times than I care to count, and we face this every single case. You really want to put your wife and kids through that?"

Woods withdrew his name from consideration the next day.

"All right, Malloy, you're up. Park your trash and follow me," Gibbs ordered as he began to walk away crooking a beckoning finger. Tony and McGee grinned at Malloy's deer-in-the-headlights expression. Malloy dumped his jacket and lunch box on his new desk and dutifully followed Gibbs.

Malloy was put through his paces. Gibbs worked with him in the NCIS gym on his conditioning and fighting skills. Tony was his shadow in the field, monitoring and mentoring him on proper crime scene procedure. He was fine with bagging and tagging physical evidence and taking crime scene photos. He was also good at talking to witnesses and getting detailed statements, but his attempts at sketching the scene left a lot to be desired. McGee worked with him on encryption, records gathering, and most importantly on staying in the "gray area" when doing sensitive computer searches.

"You may get a get out of jail free card once, but don't expect a second one. Trust me, you do not want to have to deal with Fornell and the FBI if you get caught doing anything even remotely questionable," McGee warned just before hacking into an FBI database.

The whole team spent considerable time together on the gun range. As expected, an experienced agent like Malloy was a good shot. Tony, Malloy and McGee competed against each other hoping to garner a bit of praise or recognition for their efforts from the boss. Gibbs ruled the gun range! He didn't dare let anyone, especially Tony, get anywhere near his proficiency! If he did, he'd never hear the end of it.

Abby requested Malloy's presence in her lab and schooled him on her non-negotiable rules for dealing with and presenting forensic evidence to her for testing. His hand was slapped away repeatedly when he kept trying to touch Major Mass Spec. She ran down her credentials and impressive curriculum vitae during a dramatic tour of her lab.

"My lab, my rules, mister! You will learn them and you will follow them," she chided before taking a long drink from the large Caf-Pow! he had been advised to take with him as an offering.

Ducky and Palmer welcomed Malloy as an official permanent member of Team Gibbs with a pot of Earl Grey tea and shortbread biscuits during a break in Autopsy.

During his convalescence, McGee had befriended one of the realtors Tony recommended. She found him the perfect place. It had two large bedrooms, two bathrooms, a big living room, plenty of storage, and a good-sized gourmet kitchen with all brand new appliances and a spacious dining area. The steep rent increase was worth it. It was in a newer building in a nicer neighborhood closer to work. With Tony's help, Abby picked out furniture and furnishings, mindful of McGee's more conservative style; there would be no coffins, bats, or black lights. With his sense of style and a nose for bargains, Tony kept Abby in check and under budget.

Not wanting to waste a whole weekend moving McGee's stuff, Tony sprang for "Two Men and a Truck". In years past, moving weekend for one of them would have entailed copious amounts of pizza and beer for a whole team effort, but years of chasing down dirt bags, beatings, stabbings, getting blown up, and getting shot had taken their toll.

Once McGee was settled in, the new MCRT was assigned a challenging new case, and it wouldn't be long before they were once again making headlines. The team headed into fall with a twisting, turning murder case involving a young Navy doctor and an influential senator, the Ranking Member on the Senate Appropriations Committee. There were landmines everywhere - sex, money, high-society players, and power politics - and the team had to tread carefully.

Gibbs was ordered by Vance and SecNav to avoid reporters at all costs. He was by no means anyone's idea of a media darling. Vance would serve as the official spokesman for the duration of the investigation to ensure professionalism and diplomacy, with an appropriate amount of spin and deflection when necessary to keep NCIS in the best possible light.

His patience quickly wore thin. Gibbs knew that the senator, his staff, and his wife were all lying to him. It finally took threatening her with obstruction of justice to get the senator's wife to cooperate. It didn't hurt that he and McGee cornered her for follow-up questioning in front of several friends at the country club where she and her husband were members.

Perfectly coiffed and manicured, fanning phantom sweat from her ample bosom and sipping a tall glass of iced tea after a friendly tennis match, the senator's wife identified the victim from an autopsy photograph as, "Why that looks like one of the boys who played on our son Cody's baseball team. They were both All-Americans at the University of Maryland. Of course that was a few years ago, but I'm sure that's him. His name is Erik, Erik James. He was the catcher, I believe".

"Oh boy!" Tony muttered under his breath.

Two weeks of seemingly endless days later, the senator confessed to Gibbs and asked for a plea deal. After announcing that it wasn't their call, Tony followed Gibbs out of Interrogation, leaving their quarry to stew for a while. Gibbs picked up the phone in the observation room and speed dialed the District Attorney's office.

No one wanted a long, protracted trial; it would likely be a career-ender for everyone involved. The prosecutor assigned to the case offered 2nd Degree Murder. With a nod from the senator's defense attorney the plea was accepted. It was a crime of passion. The senator had shown up for an afternoon rendezvous to find his lover, victim Erik James, in bed with another man. Once the other man left, there was a heated argument. A gun was brandished. A single shot was fired. It went straight into Erik James' heart. He died instantly. After appearing before the judge for his allocution, the senator was released on bail pending his sentencing hearing. Outside on the courthouse steps the senator and his attorney were served with divorce papers.

Tony pulled to an abrupt stop in Gibbs' driveway and gaped at the scene before him. He was on a mission to investigate why Gibbs had taken a day off without word one to anyone. Gibbs taking a three-day weekend was unheard of, even after closing a headline making case.

A transformation of the house and grounds of 505 E. Laurel Street appeared to be taking place. Crews of workers were everywhere. Commercial vehicles lined the quiet residential street; there were a couple of construction company trucks, a Home Depot delivery flatbed, and the panel van of an electrician Tony had never heard of.

Two new brick-lined, raised flower beds filled with fragrant rose bushes gave the front of the house a little extra curb appeal. Tony walked over and nodded to the two workers putting mulch around the new plantings. Another pair of workers were putting the finishing touches on new front porch railings and leveling the bottom step.

He crept around to the back of the house to find what appeared to be two new large rooms framed, and the joists for what would be a large deck jutting off the back of the house. All of the old overgrown shrubs and plantings, save for a large silver maple tree, had been torn out, and fresh soil had been brought in to build up beds in front of the new high perimeter fence. Evergreen bushes and a variety of perennial flowering shrubs sat in their plastic containers to be planted the following day. Solar landscape lighting sat ready to be installed as well.

Gibbs was walking in step and surveying the new backyard layout with a guy Tony surmised was the landscaper. He had noticed the "Sustainable Landscaping, Inc." truck parked in the driveway when he pulled in. When he noticed Tony standing at the backyard fence's gate gaping at him, Gibbs smiled and waved him in.

Tony approached with caution, mindful of the six-pack of bottled beer he was carrying.

"Gibbs … what the hell is going on?" Tony asked hesitantly.

To Tony's astonishment, Gibbs pecked him on the lips then waved his hand around. Gibbs was not one for public displays of affection, unless it was a head slap.

"Just making a few changes," Gibbs announced with a smile. "Here, let me show you around."

Gibbs stopped for a moment to speak with Tom the electrician, who would be returning tomorrow to finish wiring the new rooms … and to install power for the hot tub.

"Wait, you bought a hot tub?" Tony stammered out.

The impish grin in reply made Tony's heart skip a beat.

Gibbs led Tony to the front of the detached garage where building materials were stacked and secured, along with a huge new grill, a glass-top patio table and chairs, and the aforementioned hot tub.

"Gibbs, what is this all about? Are you having a stroke or a midlife crisis or something?" Tony asked with a chuckle.

Gibbs' mock glared in response; Tony beamed back at him.

With a shrug, Gibbs said bashfully, "Well, I figure you'll probably be spending a lot more time here, so I wanted to make it nice, that's all. Got plans for inside, too."

Tony sighed and pulled Gibbs down to sit next to him on a large pile of cedar plank decking.

"You don't have to do that. I love your house just the way it is. It's so … you. I don't want you to make any changes for me. I mean, adding two new rooms and this huge deck - and a hot tub? Gibbs, no bullshit. What's really going on here?"

"I guess I was hoping, you know, when it's all done you might want to consider moving in," Gibbs croaked out barely above a whisper. "I know it's not as nice and fancy as your condo, but you can decorate however you want. We can move all of your nicer stuff in and get rid of my old stuff."

Tony sat speechless and gaped at Gibbs.

Gibbs shook his head and frowned.

"Never mind."

"What? NO!" Tony exclaimed. "Geez, I'm just a little shocked. Did I hear you right? You want me to move in here? Are you sure about this? It's kind of sudden, and I know you like having your space. Is that what the new rooms are about?" Tony questioned.

"Kind of. Thought you might want a music room, somewhere to put your piano. I don't think it will fit in the living room with a bunch of furniture. We can do whatever you want with the other room. Home office? Playroom, maybe?" Gibbs suggested with waggling eyebrows.

Tony chuckled nervously.

"Okay, I gotta ask. Hot tub? I'm sorry, but you just don't seem like a hot tub kind of guy."

Gibbs shrugged again.

"Well, that's why I'm having them build a big deck and putting up a privacy enclosure. It will be secluded. We can have cookouts and have the team and friends over. Then, well, you and I can relax in the hot tub … just you and me."

Tony grinned at the mischievous twinkle in Gibbs' eyes.

"And by 'relax' you mean engage in some grown up naughty time, right?" Tony whispered in his ear, earning a shiver from Gibbs.

"Come on. Let's go put that beer in the fridge and talk. We can order pizza for dinner," Gibbs said as he stood and pulled Tony to his feet.

"You're awfully quiet. That's been happening a lot lately. You okay?" Gibbs asked.

Next to him on the couch, Tony nodded and tossed the crust of his third slice into the pizza box on the coffee table. The TV in the corner droned on, the news of the day ignored.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm, uh, just a little overwhelmed that's all. Gibbs … Jethro, I'm not going to give you an answer tonight. I want you to think about this. Think about what it would mean, really mean. Because, I gotta tell you, if we do this there's no going back. You can build me a mansion or a dusty one-room cabin in the woods and it wouldn't change how I feel about you. I want you to be doing all of this stuff to your house because it's something you want to do, not because you think it's what I want."

Touched by Tony's sincerity, Gibbs swallowed a lump forming in his throat. He turned and took Tony's hands in his and looked him dead in the eye.

"Tony, let me tell you about all the wives that temporarily lived here. One straight up said she wanted to move; she wanted me to leave everything, including memories of my girls, behind. Kept shoving real estate listings in my face. One wanted to tear up the backyard and put in a swimming pool. One wanted to gut this place down to the studs and start over. I said no to all of it. Even just painting the walls or buying new furniture. I guess I knew that it would all be for nothing, that the marriages wouldn't last no matter what I let them do to this house. They all wanted to change the house, and me in the process. Even Hollis, when I thought there was a chance it might actually work with her. They were all invaders. But with you it's different. I know you don't want to take over my life and change me or the house. And you wouldn't be. You would be making this place something it hasn't been for a very long time; you'd be making it a home."

Gibbs reached up and brushed away the lone tear running down Tony's cheek.

"Damn Gibbs," Tony said softly. "You got me with that one."

While managing a heavy caseload, the house sat empty for several weeks while painting and other improvements were completed. Most of Gibbs' older furniture had been donated to Goodwill. What was beyond use was relegated to the landfill. The empty spare room upstairs, that had once been Kelly's room, housed Gibbs' bedroom furniture and was now a guest room.

During rare periods of downtime between cases, they had given all the interior walls a fresh coat of paint, keeping the color palette neutral. The floors and all of the woodwork were sanded down, stained, polished, and restored to their original luster.

"No, no, no! The sofa goes here, and that chair goes there," Senior barked at the movers. It was finally moving day! It was just a matter of making all of Tony's furniture fit. That's where Senior came in. From the early morning hours when the moving trucks first showed up, Senior made it clear from his unannounced arrival that he was in charge. Gibbs retreated to the back yard while Tony did his best to stay out of the way. Big burly men toted his belongings in and waited for Senior to instruct them where everything was to go.

"Don't worry. We can move stuff around after he's gone if you want," Gibbs whispered in Tony's ear after venturing in for a coffee refill and to check on the progress.

Tony's move to Gibbs' house had been beneficial for Senior as well. He, or more accurately one of his companies, bought Tony's condo to be used as a D.C. home base. A team of decorators had descended on the place as the last of Tony's boxes were packed to begin measuring for new drapes and dropping off upholstery swatches. Tony could only imagine what he father would pick out. Senior was in town to oversee the final decisions.

Gibbs and Senior had reached an understanding somewhere along the way and managed to be a bit more than civil toward one another. Tony waited for shoes to start dropping or fists and bullets to start flying. No accord reached between a self-professed justice junkie and a con man could ever last. Then, a calming force showed up. Jackson Gibbs!

"Someone want to tell me what the hell is going on here?" Jackson Gibbs bellowed after stepping across the front door threshold and into the chaos.

"Jack! Oh my God, what are you doing here?" Tony asked excitedly as he led the elderly man out of harm's way.

"Tony, what's going on? Who the hell are all of these people? I showed up for a nice quiet visit with Leroy. He said we needed to talk. Where is he, and where is all of his stuff?"

Tony steered Jackson to the dining room table and offered him a seat. With the non-load bearing wall removed, the dining area was incorporated into the newly expanded and remodeled kitchen, where a fresh pot of coffee was brewing. Tony brought a fresh black as tar cup of coffee to Jackson, who thanked him with a wink and a "Thank you, son".

Tony sat across the table and fretted over his own cup of coffee before clearing his throat. He knew he needed to choose his words carefully.

"Well, what's going on is, I'm, uh, moving in. Didn't Gib … Jeth … Leroy tell you? We hired movers to bring all of my stuff over. We gave Leroy's furniture away; donated most of it to charity. It was his idea, not mine! As for Leroy, I'm sorry I have to call him Jethro, he's out back. He went kind of crazy out there, too. He's getting ready to grill some burgers. Abby and McGee should be here soon. We're gonna kinda baptize the place with an impromptu barbecue. Ducky, um, I mean Dr. Mallard is planning to drop by. Jack, I'm so glad you're here. Come on. Let's go out back and find Jethro," Tony said before leading Jackson out to the deck overlooking the transformed backyard.

"Hey Dad!" Gibbs greeted with a wave of the spatula in his hand. "Good to see you. Come on out and have a seat."

Jackson shuffled over to Gibbs for the briefest of hugs.

"Son, what in the name of all that is holy is going on around here? Tony just told me he's moving in. And then he tells me you're hosting a barbecue. When were you gonna tell me about all of this, and what can I do to help with the food?" Jackson asked.

Gibbs closed the lid on the grill to let it heat up and motioned for Jackson to have a seat at the new patio dining table.

"The barbecue wasn't planned. Kind of just came up last night. The others should be getting here any time. I'll put the burgers on when they get here, and you can help Tony bring out salads and stuff when we're ready to eat. As for Tony, yeah. I, uh, meant to tell you about that ...," Gibbs confessed with a sheepish grin.

"So Tony's moving in, like one of your wives? Okay," Jackson stated without a hint of judgement. "You got anything stronger than coffee to drink?"

Tony stood wide-eyed and stone silent in the doorway. This is not how he imagined Gibbs outing them to his father would go down. He turned on his heels to fetch a bottle of beer from the refrigerator, hoping that would be strong enough.

Gibbs barked out a laugh.

"Like one of my wives? No. Like my boyfriend or partner, or whatever you want to call him? Yes. He's nothing like any of them, Dad. Unlike them, I actually want him here. He means a hell of a lot to me, Dad. You gonna be okay with that?"

Jackson sat and pondered the question for about five seconds before responding.

"Okay with it? Dammit Leroy, I'm just glad you've finally found someone who makes you happy! I mean, you must be over the damn moon since you fixed up the house so nice and did all of this out here," he said motioning to the deck and surroundings. "It's been needing work for a long time, been meaning to tell you. And I'm guessing all that nice furniture inside is Tony's? He's got good taste."

Jackson turned in his seat and called out to Tony, who had taken up his place in the doorway, unsure of what to do. Condensation from the frosty beer bottle in his hand dripped onto the top of his bare foot.

"Well, you just gonna stand there, Tony, or are you gonna hug an old man and let him welcome you to the family?"

Tony's face nearly split in two from smiling. He took two steps out onto the deck before he was pulled into a rib-crushing hug that would make Abby proud. Jackson released Tony, took the bottle of beer from him, and looked him in the eye.

"I just hope you know what you're doing. This one can be a right bastard, as I'm sure you know. Takes after me. Just be good to my boy, will 'ya?"

"I plan to, sir, always," was Tony's choked response.

Compliments about the house abound once the movers were gone and the dinner party was underway. Not standing on ceremony, everyone was free to look around at their leisure.

Abby and McGee had shown up with a variety of chips and beer, Ducky brought his famous homemade potato salad, and Palmer brought a couple of store-bought pies for dessert. Malloy had prior plans and called with his regrets.

Senior stretched out on one of the chaise lounges with a tumbler of single-malt scotch. Arm in arm, Abby and Ducky toured the backyard to check out the landscaping. Ducky was a master gardener in his own right and educated Abby about all of the beneficial plantings. McGee was impressed by the deck and asked Gibbs a hundred questions about it. He was surprised that Gibbs contracted it out instead of building it himself, but had to admit it was a pretty big job for one guy.

The patio table Gibbs bought accommodated eight comfortably. Along with a couple of chaise lounges and a pair of newly hand-crafted Adirondack chairs and matching accent tables, there was plenty of seating for a large group. Tony's contribution had been potting strategically placed containers of petunias and geraniums to add a bit of color.

Gibbs grilled hamburgers and brats while Tony opened a couple of bottles of wine, prepared a salad, and made sure everyone had their drink of choice. Surrounded by their closest friends and fathers, the awkwardness Tony feared never materialized as he played co-host.

Good food and drinks with friends made for a relaxing evening. By 2100 the party wound down. Jackson helped Tony find Tupperware for the leftovers. McGee and Palmer chipped in to deal with empty bottles and trash while Abby took dishes and glasses inside and loaded the dishwasher. Jackson and Senior had spent most of the evening sizing each other up before settling in with tumblers of cognac. Ducky joined the pair and regaled them with a favorite tale from his youth.

Later, Tony lay half draped over Gibbs in bed after coming down from an orgasmic high.

"Your dad is pretty amazing. He didn't freak out at all about me moving in, or about us. Has he always been that laid back?" Tony asked.

Gibbs nodded in the lamplight as he ran a hand up and down Tony's back.

"Yeah, pretty much. You heard about his old partner, Leroy Jethro, right? He was a black man and my dad's best friend. They opened the store together all those years ago. I heard it was kind of a local scandal at the time. My dad has always been open minded. He tells me my mom was the same way. Anyway, I know he's liked you from the first time you showed up in Stillwater. Seems like both of our dads are okay. Tough shit if they're not, but they seemed fine tonight. Maybe it was the booze, or maybe it was Ducky boring them with one of his stories, and they actually got along pretty well," Gibbs replied before dropping a kiss in Tony's hair.

"Yeah, well your dad's so cool. You know, I still have that sweater he gave me," Tony said before yawning.

"Yeah?"

"Of course. It's warm and comfy, just like you. Hey Gibbs, I was thinking. We should have done this in the hot tub. Imagine how much fun that would be! We should probably wait until your dad goes home, though, huh?" Tony asked regretfully.

Gibbs laughed.

"Oh, don't you worry. It's not going anywhere. I'm driving Dad home tomorrow, but I'll be home in plenty of time for dinner and hot tub time. Count on it."

The larger of the new rooms became Tony's music studio. In addition to his baby grand piano, a collection of acoustic and electric guitars in stands lined one wall. There was room for an overstuffed chair, end table, and lamp for relaxing and reading while Gibbs was busy in the basement or working late at the office.

For now, the second room was storage for boxes that still needed to be unpacked. Empty floor to ceiling shelves sat empty in the living room waiting to be filled with Tony's collections of movies, CDs and books. Boxes of framed photos waited to find homes. The few framed photos Gibbs had remained on the fireplace mantelpiece where they had always resided. A 5x7 silver framed photo of a beautiful young smiling Shannon holding baby Kelly that once adorned his nightstand had mysteriously gone missing. Tony planned to demand that Gibbs return it to its rightful place.

It had always bothered Tony that Gibbs didn't have anything on his walls. Save for the occasional light switch, they were completely bare. Tony thought it was taking minimalism a bit too far. He had plenty of tastefully framed posters and original canvases that he'd collected over the years to bring the walls to life.

Tony took advantage of Gibbs driving Jack back to Stillwater to hang his collection of artwork. He managed to locate a handful of large brads and a hammer from the workbench in the basement without much difficulty. He was able to display all of it without making the walls look cluttered. He'd unpack the boxes of DVDs and CDs tomorrow.

Gibbs arrived home with Chinese takeout and whistled when he stepped into the living room. Everything Tony hung on the walls looked like it was meant to be there. He was drawn to the music room, where he found Tony playing his piano. He was transfixed watching Tony play. The song was familiar, but he couldn't place it.

"You hungry?" Gibbs asked when Tony stopped playing and beamed at him.

"I'm starved!"

"Guess I'm gonna have to get used to hearing you play. You're really good."

Tony smiled at the compliment.

"Aww, thanks. I was just making sure the piano turner got it right. I think it sounds pretty good."

Tony got up and relieved Gibbs of the large bag from P.F. Chang's and headed for the kitchen to dish up the food. He stopped short of the doorway when he noticed Gibbs looking at the newest framed photo sitting front and center on top of the piano. It was a candid shot of the two of them taken years ago at an intramural softball game. Gibbs was correcting Tony's stance in the batter's box. They were both laughing.

"You remember that? I think McGee took the picture. Man, he was just a baby probie back then. Anyway, I think we were playing Pacci's team that day. Got our asses handed to us if I remember correctly. I found that with some other pictures that were in a box in my closet. It's a great picture of us, if I do say," Tony said. "Come on, let's eat."

Tony kissed Gibbs' cheek then sang a song on his way to the kitchen. It was the same song Tony had been playing on the piano when he walked in. Gibbs finally remembered it. It was a song he hadn't heard in many years. He couldn't remember who sang it; he'd have to ask Tony, but the chorus was familiar … "it's time for a cool change."

It had indeed been a year of change, so many changes. Most had been welcome. Gibbs still struggled with Ziva's betrayal and treachery, but on some level he missed her. He could never forget what she had done, or forgive her, but at the same time he felt he owed her thanks. If not for her scheming ways, he and Tony may not have ended up together. Gibbs smiled, realizing just what a lucky man he was.

Passing the living room on his way to the kitchen, Gibbs stopped and took a long look around. Tony's stuff fit in his house just like Tony fit in his life, and for the first time in many years Gibbs was happy, truly happy, and felt like he was home.