Chapter Four

Tony couldn't help the muffled cry that escaped him when Gibbs turned his attention to his sit spots again. It was obvious he was never going to sit again. He wondered if he could have his desk converted to a standing configuration before Monday as he forced himself to not fight his discipline.

A momentary pause made it through to Tony's thinking as he lay across his Boss's lap. Instead of relief, he recognized this as the short break before Gibbs picked up the paddle to finish the job.

"I'm sorry," Tony offered around his mostly quiet tears. "I won't do it again."

"I hope not," Gibbs's voice echoed above him. "You're a good kid, Tony. This kind of behavior is beneath you."

With that, Tony felt Gibbs shift and found himself being divested of his boxers. The cool air on his otherwise burning backside only served to make Tony flush with embarrassment and mourn the loss of the thin layer of protection.

"Boss, please," he begged as he felt the cool wood on his bottom.

"Not a negotiation, Tony," Gibbs said curtly but with a tone of sadness in his voice. "I told you if this issue came up again you were getting paddled bare. You know I don't say things I don't mean."

Tony grabbed fruitlessly at the couch to brace for what was coming next. It's not like he hadn't been paddled bare by his surrogate father before, but it had been awhile since he had brought on such censure.

Gibbs only used the paddle when his kids stepped seriously out of line. He didn't like to use it because he knew from firsthand experience how much it hurt. He knew the deep throbbing from a paddling stayed with the recipient well after the spanking was over.

He raised the paddle and brought it down squarely on Tony's right cheek, and then the left. Gibbs fell into a rhythm and nearly dropped the paddle when Tony finally let go and started sobbing into the cushions.

Gibbs hated to hear his kids cry. It amazed him that the old saying, "This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you," was true. He loathed disciplining any of his kids but Tony could sometimes be the hardest because he reminded him so much of himself.

If Tony had done almost anything aside from his latest – and repeated – transgression, Gibbs would have stopped spanking right then. But this time was different. He had warned Tony dozens of times. Now he had to follow through.

Gibbs adjusted his crying son on his lap and began landing the paddle on the young man's sit spots, which were already a darkening pink. Tony's crying became deeper and quieter, his whole body jerking with the force of his tears.

Gibbs was only able to continue because he knew it was for Tony's own good. He just hoped the kid would finally learn this lesson. He had to, for both of their sakes.

—NCIS—

Tony opened his mouth to answer Vance's frustrated and likely rhetorical question when the words were taken right out of his mouth.

"That's not what he wants, Director."

Gibbs stride into the room without so much as a knock, standing next to Tony as he addressed Vance.

"Leon, let me handle this. I assure you that your time would be better spent on something else."

Tony's mouth gaped as he listened to Gibbs. He was so relieved to his boss intervene on his behalf that he forgot how much trouble he was in – almost.

"Gibbs, I didn't expect you back so soon," Vance said. "You're right. I do have other things to attend to right now. But I'm fully capable of managing this as well."

"I'm sure you are, Director."

The two men stared at each other in silence. Tony held his breath as he waited to hear exactly who would be dealing with him. He really couldn't decide if he would fare better with Gibbs or Vance at this point.

"Fine," Vance conceded, leaning back in his chair. "But I want assurances that this kind of behavior won't happen again."

"It won't," Tony piped up.

Gibbs glanced at his second in charge, feeling more like a high school principal than a special agent at the moment.

"DiNozzo, go wait in interrogation B for me. Now."

Tony jumped from the chair at the sharp command and immediately headed for the door. Gibbs turned back to Vance once he heard the door click shut.

"Go on and deal with your agent, or should I say kid," Vance said, turning to his computer. "And just so you know, I'm never sending you for training again without your team."

Gibbs smirked as he left the office. Maybe DiNozzo's pranks had a bright side after all.