Author's Note: Hey, everybody. Yes, I've finally been able to write some more on this story. Honestly, there's no real exuse why I didn't write anymore and why, at all I've been so restrained as a writer over the past half year. There have been many changes in my life since I last posted a bit on this story. I'm in working life now, for once and even though I thought with regularized work times and without additional work for homework I had to invest in my freetime before I'd get many more chances to write. Fact is, working in shifts, where you have to work on weekends and where you are physically strained, sometimes ten days in a row and then you have the unpredictable two days off before starting all over again, you simply don't have the energy to sit down and start writing the rest of the time.

Sometimes when I have late shift I'm home at ten pm and I can't force myself to write for another two hours. First of all I'm exhausted, secondly there's so much on my mind that I can't get my head free of all the things that happened all day. Instead I rather sit down and read or watch TV, something where I don't need to be concentrated on, not nessecarily anyway. Or I experiment with my new camera, which sometimes is much more satisfying after work than writing.

Anyway, I promised some of you I'd work on this one and I keep my promises (most of the time). I love this story myself, I'm proud of it and it ached that I didn't know what to do with it. I've managed to write a total of 1.271 words yesterday night, bored out of my mind because I'm stuck at home due to a cold, and I'm relieved. Though, I'm not even close to being pleased with the result. First of all, I'm certain there are hundreds of grammar mistakes which comes with not writing in English for a long time. There are many other things I don't like about the chapter, but it has to work for now. Maybe I'll edit a better version one day, if I have the time and energy to do so, but I'd rather have this story finished before I start on a second draft (which would also imply the previous chapters).

Please enjoy, and let me know what you think. I hope you haven't given up on me, yet.

Hugs

Chapter Four.

Part one.

Gibbs sat down heavily on one of the rustic chairs in the kitchen. He shifted a bit until he found a position that was at least halfway comfortable, then closed his eyes against the bright sunlight shining through the windows. He let the silence in the house sooth his upcoming headache. As much as he enjoyed every second he spent with Shannon and their little girl he also cherished these moments of absolute solitude.

His wife and daughter had gone off to a nativity play in church with Shannon's parents and a couple of family friends. It had taken the Gunny quite some persuasiveness to convince Kelly to tag along and enjoy herself for awhile, forgetting about the events of the day. She loved those plays after all and he didn't want her to miss something so important to her. In the end Kelly had willingly gone with her mother without further protests, but Jethro had seen what conquest it had taken her.

Gibbs was thankful for that. Kelly's perfect Christmas had been going off course too much already by what had happened to her new friend. Besides she couldn't do anything about either the condition Tony was in or the whole situation.

Now that he was alone Jethro wanted to get done as much as possible on little DiNozzo's case. It was only a matter of time before youth care would make an appearance at the hospital and that was the last thing he or Anthony needed right now. It would only complicate everything, if they took the boy into protectory. The Gunnery wanted to avoid that if possible and find a completely differing way than the whole orphanage thing.

But while Gibbs didn't want for Tony DiNozzo to end up in any kind of care facility he wasn't entirely sure there was an option, a compromise that wouldn't also automatically imply that he adopted the boy. There had to be other ways. Remembering the conversation about the topic he'd been having earlier with Shannon, he sighed.

~*~

Gibbs carefully closed the back door as he and Kelly had entered the kitchen. The drive from the hospital had been agonizingly slow and quiet. Kelly had been staring into space the whole way, tears glistering in her eyes and her beautifully innocent face was drawn with sorrow. Without even greeting her mother she went straight to her room. Shannon followed her with her eyes, concerned about her little girl, with a frown.

"Let her be. She'll be fine, Shannon", Jethro reassured her. Leaning at the kitchen counter, feeling slightly drained and exhausted, he let himself be taken in an embrace from his wife. The comfort she gave him said more than a thousand words would ever be able to.

"How's the little boy?" Shannon asked. She could sense that something wasn't right as Jethro simply nodded into her shoulder, not able to form a verbal answer, yet. She waited for him to elaborate without pushing him the least. Instead she turned back to the dinner she'd been preparing.

Jethro took the chance and set the table. "He will be fine. Got a concussion, one arm is broken and he's covered with a dozen bruises. Superficial wounds that will heal with time. His father will most likely end up in jail for a while after the incident."

Shannon shook her head disbelievingly. "You'd think everyone who gets to be a parent would grow to love his children, not beat it half to death." Gibbs only nodded at that. "So, what's going to happen to the boy?"

"If the police can't find any available aunts, uncles or who knows what he'll probably be a case for youth welfare." Jethro closed his eyes and grimaced. He could sense Shannon approaching, a moment later he felt a hand on his shoulders and felt save enough to open his eyes again.

"Are you alright, Jethro?" She asked and he felt himself shaking his head, truthfully.

"It's most likely that Tony will end up in protectory and I can tell you, it's not in his best interest. The best for him would be if a wonderful, caring family would adopt him right away. I told him youth welfare will have to decide what happens with him, since his father will be behind bars for a while."

"Oh." For a few seconds she wore a shocked expression on her face, but then recovered quickly and frowned. "That probably didn't go too well. Did he understand?"

"He's been his father's living punching bag for a long time, Shannon. Of course he understood!" Jethro said a bit too harsh, but he apologized right away. Shannon didn't deserve his anger, she hadn't done anything wrong. But it was hard to control himself when the hatred he felt for Tony's father was still so close to the surface. "I'm sorry."

Thankfully, Shannon did understand his upset and nodded. She couldn't hold a grudge on her husband for long, anyway, and this whole fucked up situation was a reason she could relive. "It's okay, Jethro. You're tense at the moment, it's understandable." And with his temper it was far from a surprise for her that it got to him.

"Tony seemed to be relieved to hear that his father will be in prison. But he's worried what will happen to him now. I promised him I'll do everything in my power to keep his father away and him safe but I'm not sure I truly can do that without breaking his heart."

The confession was filled with so much pain and insecurity, Shannon rarely got to see in one Leroy Jethro Gibbs, that she couldn't keep herself in check. She embraced him once more and Jethro seek all the comfort out of it that she could give him. It gave him the strength he needed. Shannon debated with herself whether or not she should say a word, but then decided to leave Jethro a little space to recover. She didn't want to rush him into an answer when obviously he needed time.

Then, a couple of minutes later, Jethro was able to speak again and tell his wife the truth. "Tony would like to stay with us, Shannon. He doesn't want to end up in an orphanage and I totally understand that. I don't want that for him either."

Shannon sighed. "There probably won't be another chance, you know. So, what are you up to? What do you think?"

"Hell, I don't know, Shannon." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. Scrubbing his face with one hand he breathed in and weighted his options. "Part of me wants to keep him close. At least that way I know he's in good hands. But my conscience tells me something else."

Shannon nodded. She did understand what he was telling her. He wouldn't be home for weeks if not months at a time when he had to go off and serve his country. He had a responsibility to the whole nation for god's sake and he couldn't give that up for one little boy. It was his job, his dedication. And he wasn't willing to leave that part of his life behind already. He hadn't for Kelly and he wouldn't for Tony, but Kelly was used to it. For Tony it was a whole new level, yet so familiar. His daddy, if chosen or not, would leave him behind to his sorrows and his pain. And he'd feel the rejection he had for the past six months.

Gibbs didn't know how to fix it and that was the worst.

So... feedback please?