Summary: The death of two of his friends is about to change Tony's life forever. Gibbs wants to help but will his presence help or hinder the situation. SLASH GIBBS/TONY. I'm rating it M for later chapters.

This story is an ideal from Hotshow. Hope she enjoys it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Feedback is always welcome and appreciated. And thank you thank you to all the feedback on my other stories.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you to Cookie62 for beta reading you rock!

He sat there staring at the time on his computer screen hoping if he stared long enough it would somehow make the time go faster. Instead it only made every minute drag on. This day needed to end, it had been a long crazy week and now with only fifteen minutes left on Friday he just wanted it to be over.

"DINOZZO!"

Gibbs shouting his name made Tony jump and he looked at his boss.

"Answer your damn phone."

Tony was so engrossed in watching the clock that he hadn't even heard his cell phone ring.

"Sorry boss." Tony managed to say before picking up the phone. "Tony."

Gibbs watched as his Senior Field Agent's face went from surprised to upset and then to shock. He heard a few of the words exchanged before Tony got up and walked away from his desk towards the staircase. As the minutes ticked on five o'clock came and went. Ziva and McGee left with a nod goodbye from Gibbs. He however, remained sitting at his desk. Finally at almost five thirty Tony finally walked back into the bullpen, his face sullen and almost white. Walking directly to his desk he dropped down into the chair.

"You okay?" Gibbs asked.

Tony continued to stare off into space.

"Tony."

Gibbs using his first name made Tony look over.

"Everything okay?"

"No." Tony shook his head.

Getting up, Gibbs walked over to Tony's desk and waited.

"My friends Gabby and David were killed last night in a car accident." Tony's voice was soft and low.

"Take a few days."

Tony ran his hands over his face. "I may need more than a few days."

Gibbs looked at him concerned.

"They named me guardian of their son."

The surprise registered immediately on Gibbs face.

"You agreed to that?"

"No. I'm his godfather but I never knew I was his guardian."

"They made you guardian without telling you?" Gibbs raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Tony nodded.

"Tony this is a huge responsibility. You can't just take on a child."

"I need to go to Ohio and talk to the lawyer." Tony sighed. "And see Reed."

"Reed?" Gibbs asked.

"My godson." Tony paused. "I need to get home and pack."

Getting up to leave Gibbs grabbed Tony's arm. The unusual action caused Tony to look at Gibbs' hand where it touched him, and then up into those blue eyes.

"You okay?"

There was no response. Tony wanted to say he was okay, to make everything sound perfectly fine, but he couldn't form the words.

"I'm going with you."

"What?" The statement caused Tony to find his voice again.

"I'll take you home, you can pack." Gibbs paused. "Then we can go."

"You don't have to do that." Tony forced a smiled. "I'll be okay."

"Get your stuff." Gibbs said as he walked back over to his desk and turned off his computer

For a moment Tony was about to protest but then realized when Gibbs set his mind to something there was no changing it. He grabbed his backpack.

"Ready?" Gibbs stood by Tony's desk again.

Tony nodded.

###########################################################################

The first few hours were spent in silence, Tony staring out the passenger window while Gibbs drove.

"Can you please say something?" Tony sighed. "I'm going to go insane with the silence."

"Gas station coming up." Gibbs glanced at Tony. "You need to stop?"

"No. I just need to talk." Tony leaned his head against the window glass.

"Gabby and David?" Gibbs asked.

"Friends from college. No." Tony paused. "Gabby is an ex from college. David her husband became a friend."

"Friends with the ex." Gibbs chuckled.

"Yeah. Gabby was special, different in every way." Tony smiled. "She got me and I got her. It just wasn't-."

Tony's sentence dropped off as he forced the emotion back down. It was suddenly hitting him that the one woman who truly knew him was gone.

"It's okay." Gibbs' voice was full of concern and understanding.

"Gabby and I only dated three months but after that she was one of my best friends." Tony forced a smile as the memories rushed in, while he told the story.

Gabby was beautiful. With her chestnut shoulder length hair her deep ocean blue eyes and the perfect hour glass shape. He was attracted to her the moment they met at the college library. Her head on her hand as she read some book studying for a final. He was there to check out women not books. She was less than impressed with his come on line and simply rolled her eyes at him going back to her book. It took a line from the movie Double Indemnity to make her finally look up from her book. She was surprised that Tony actually knew a classic movie reference. After that it was an endless stream of conversation. It should have been simple for him after that. A few dates then back to his place or her's to close the deal, but that never happened. Instead, a few dates turned into weeks, before he finally made a move. Their first time together was great, but something felt wrong, even though he couldn't figure out what. It took a few more months to realize what was wrong. He loved her, but wasn't in love with her. Loving her as a friend made it impossible to continue to pretend there was more there than friendship. The funniest thing was she knew. As he tried to explain to her she smiled and kissed his cheek telling him she understood.

After that their friendship just continued to grow and six months later when she met her future husband David, he wished her well. He immediately assumed their friendship would fade, instead he soon became friends with David. David accepted Tony and Gabby's friendship as if it was nothing unusual and that amazed Tony. There wasn't a jealous bone in David's body and he knew who had Gabby's heart. A few years later after graduation when David and Gabby were married Tony was there. The same was true after Reed was born. Although the godfather request had shocked him, he was honored and accepted. The two of them were blissfully happy. Gabby had always wanted to be a wife and mother putting her career on hold to spend the first two years with Reed.

They tried to get together at least a few times a year. In fact, Tony had seen them six months ago. They met in Pennsylvania for a weekend and had even made plans for the whole family to come to D.C.

Tony shook his head. "I should have called more, should have visited."

"You can't live in should have's." Gibbs snickered. "Believe me I've tried."

"I don't get it." Tony sighed. "Why wouldn't they tell me about being Reed's guardian? Better yet, why didn't they ask me?"

Gibbs shrugged.

"It's not like Gabby."

"Don't they have family?" Gibbs asked.

Tony shook his head. "No. They're both only children and their parents are dead."

"Local friends?"

"Yeah. Tons." Tony had met countless friends when he was in Ohio for a party at their place. "I mean they were active with all kinds of political and local causes."

"And Reed?" Gibbs hadn't heard much about the boy.

"Great kid as far as I can tell." Tony paused. "He's four, will be five in a couple months. Looks just like his mom."

"You close to him?"

"He calls me Uncle Tony."

Gibbs chuckled. "I'll take that as a no."

"Seeing him a couple times a year can't exactly get close." Tony took a deep breath. "Talked to him on the phone sometimes when Gabby or David would call."

"Do you even like kids?" Gibbs asked glancing at Tony.

"I don't know." Tony sighed.

Gibbs shook his head. "You need to figure it out."

Tony leaned forward and put his head in his hands.

##############################################################################

Pulling into the parking lot, Gibbs turned off the car and quietly climbed out closing the door. He walked into the hotel stopping at the front desk. A pretty red head smiled up at him.

"Good evening."

Gibbs nodded. "I need two rooms or a room with two beds."

"Let me check." Punching at the computer keyboard the woman stared at the screen. "I only have one room available but it has two double beds."

"That's fine." Gibbs handed her a credit card and she swiped it handing it back.

"Room 219 up the stairs and down the hall to your left." She said handing him two key cards. "The ice machine and vending machine are just down the hall on your right."

"Thanks." He smiled.

"Continental breakfast starts at five am."

"How close are we to Mound Street?" Gibbs asked.

"About ten minutes."

"Thanks again." Another nod as he walked back out the door to the car. Gibbs opened the passenger door.

"DiNozzo wake up." Gibbs spoke in a low voice as he touched Tony's arm.

"What?" Tony jumped.

"We're here." Gibbs stepped back and opened the back door pulling out their bags.

Climbing out of the car Tony stood up and stretched.

"Here." Gibbs handed Tony the key cards. "Up the stairs and to the left."

"Gibbs you shouldn't have-"

"Go." Gibbs barked.

"Right." Tony said as he hurried into the hotel.

###############################################################################

"They only had one room but it has two beds." Gibbs dropped the bags on one of the beds. "We're ten minutes from Mound Street."

"Okay." Tony sat down on the edge of the bed.

"You said at eight o'clock you meet with the lawyer?"

Tony nodded. "Thanks."

Gibbs nodded back.

"Really." Tony looked at Gibbs. "Thanks for everything."

"Taking a shower." Gibbs grabbed some clothes and disappeared into the bathroom.

Tony flopped back onto the bed and ran his hands over his face. As if trying to handle the death of his friends and suddenly being a guardian of a four year old wasn't bad enough he now had to deal with sharing a room with Gibbs. He should have come alone, should have never let Gibbs come with him. All of a sudden he started laughing. God, Gabby would have found this hysterical. She knew all too well why Tony was uncomfortable with Gibbs being here.

"Something funny." Gibbs looked at Tony confused as to why he was laughing.

"Just thinking of Gabby." Tony answered as he sat up and glanced over at Gibbs. As he went to look away, he suddenly jerked back and stared. Gibbs was standing there wrapped only in a towel, his hair and body still wet from the shower. Tony's eyes traveled down Gibbs' glistening body and then started back up. He stopped as he realized what he was doing and looked away.

"Sure you're okay?"

"Yeah." Tony nodded staring at the empty TV screen. "Just everything going on."

Walking back into the bathroom Gibbs paused. "Tony."

Tony found the courage to look over at Gibbs trying to keep his eyes on his face.

"You'll figure it out."

"Thanks." Tony smiled.

#############################################################################

Lying in bed Tony stared at the ceiling trying to think of any reason Gabby and David would remotely think he would make a good guardian. Hell he was a kid himself most of the time. He'd only had two serious relationships his whole life and neither ended the way he wanted them to. And the relationship he really wanted had never even began. Gabby knew all of this, knew how he felt about the man lying in the other bed, knew everything about him and still wanted him to raise her only child. It made no sense what so ever. That didn't even touch on the fact that he really wasn't that good with children. He smiled. Gibbs, he was great with kids, related to them on every level. It was so natural to him and kids loved him. The man was meant to be a father.

"Can't sleep?"

Tony smiled and shook his head. The man could read people in the dark even when they weren't making a sound.

"You're breathing is erratic." there was a pause. "And you're heart rate is raised."

Gibbs answered Tony's unasked question.

"Gabby knows me, everything about me." Tony chuckled. "Things no one else knows. Crazy unreal things."

Tony heard the snicker.

"Yet she still thinks I can raise Reed." Tony sighed. "I don't get it."

For a moment Tony thought Gibbs had fallen asleep or ignored what he had said.

"She knows you, that's why she trusts you with Reed."

Tony turned towards Gibbs, even knowing they couldn't see each other in the dark. He considered his next question, almost didn't ask it, but needed to know.

"Would you have trusted me with Kelly?"

"Yeah." Gibbs paused. "Now go to sleep."

################################################################################

Tony could feel the faint morning sunlight on his face but he refused to give into it and get up. Instead he continued to lay there half awake. Then he heard movement in the room. Barely opening his eyes he looked over towards Gibbs bed. Tony tried to hide his sharp intake of breath as he saw Gibbs bare ass as he was pulling on his boxers then his slacks. Squeezing his eyes tightly shut, Tony tried to think of anything disgusting and unpleasant, something that would prevent the growing arousal from the vision he had just seen.

"Tony you need to get up." Gibbs spoke as he buttoned his dress shirt.

Rolling onto his side, Tony stretched and looked over at Gibbs.

"I smell coffee." Tony smiled. "And not hotel coffee."

Gibbs smirked.

"You keep coffee in your emergency travel bag?"

"I do." Gibbs nodded.

Tony sat up. "You truly do have a problem."

"Probably." Gibbs chuckled.

"And I love you for it." Tony grinned. "Means I actually get real coffee."

Gibbs smirked and shook his head. "Fresh brewed coffee that's all it takes, huh?"

Tony felt the blush wash over him.

"Coffee, then you need to get ready."

"On it." Tony smiled.

##########################################################################

"Why are you so calm?" The nervousness showing in Tony's voice as they stepped out of the car and started walking towards the lawyer's office.

"What do I have to be nervous about?" Gibbs snickered.

"It's a lawyer. You hate lawyers."

"Yeah. But they don't make me nervous."

Tony cracked his neck to both sides.

"Tony." Gibbs paused and looked straight at him. "Deep breath. Relax."

"Right." Tony nodded then took a deep breath.

"Come on." Gibbs smiled pushing Tony towards the door.

Stepping into the office Gibbs was surprised at the meager surroundings. Little more than a basic office, a desk, some filing cabinets, photos of what was probably family and friends on the walls, a few political cause posters, two chairs in front of the desk and two more off to the side. A man in a well-worn suit sitting behind the desk stood up to greet them. He was early forties, slightly graying around his temples in his jet black hair, and deep green eyes.

"You must be Tony." The man smiled extending his hand.

"Yes I am."

"Mark German."

"Nice to meet you." Tony nodded.

Mark extended his hand to Gibbs.

"Mr. Gibbs." Mark smiled.

Gibbs looked confused as to how Mark knew his name.

"You were listed as a secondary contact for Tony." Mark chuckled. "I took a guess."

"Please Jethro."

"Of course." Mark nodded. "Please have a seat."

Gibbs went to sit at one of the chairs off to the side and Tony touched his arm. As Gibbs look up at him he could read the need in Tony's eyes. Gibbs nodded and instead sat down in one of the chairs in front of the desk. Tony sat down beside him.

"Gabby and David loved you dearly." Mark's voice was filled with sadness. "I heard a lot about you."

"Is that good or bad?" Tony chuckled nervously.

"All good." Mark grinned.

"I still can't believe their gone." Tony fought to hold back the emotion.

"It's a great loss for so many people." Mark allowed a tear to fall. "Especially Reed."

"Mark." Tony sighed. "Why me? They never even told me."

Mark let out a long breath. "They just completed their will and guardianship three weeks ago."

"Three weeks ago!" Tony ran his hands over his face.

"They were planning on telling you when they came to visit." Mark paused. "No one ever thinks anything will happen."

"Still why me?" Tony needed to understand.

"They felt you would give Reed the love and care that he needed." Mark swallowed the emotion. "And raise him with the values they would have wanted."

Tony knew what Mark was getting at. Gabby and David were some of the most liberal and accepting people he had ever met. They fought for the rights of everyone.

"Plus Reed just took to you." Mark smiled.

"I've only been around him a few times." Tony looked surprised.

"He talked about you a lot."

"Really?"

Mark smirked. "Yes. You were Uncle Tony the federal agent who caught bad guys."

Gibbs smirked.

"I didn't talk to him a lot about work."

"Gabby and David did." Mark explained. "He's four, he thought it was cool."

Tony smiled. "Yeah. I would have too at that age."

"Reed is staying with Anna and Holly, friends of theirs until you got here."

"Mark I-"

"Let's just go over there and talk to Reed then we can talk about the rest." Mark said cutting Tony off.

Tony nodded. Maybe seeing Reed would give him some answers he needed.

##################################################################################

When they pulled into the drive-way Tony just stared at the house. It was the perfect family house white picket fence and all. Stepping out of the car Tony shook his head.

"What is it?" Gibbs asked as he came around to the passenger side.

"I've met Anna and Holly." Tony paused. "They would be the perfect couple to raise Reed."

The understanding hit Gibbs, he hadn't realized Anna and Holly were a couple.

"Gabby and David were on date night." Mark said walking towards them from his car. "That's why Reed was staying with Anna and Holly. They babysat on date night."

Tony nodded.

"They're expecting us." Mark said as he walked towards the front door.

"Mark." Anna opened the door and immediately hugged the man.

"Hey." Mark hugged her back then stepped back. "Anna this is-"

"I remember Tony." Anna smiled hugging Tony.

"Anna." Tony hugged her.

"And you must be Gibbs?" She asked smiling at Gibbs.

Gibbs nodded again surprised that the woman knew his name.

"Jethro, please."

"Come in." Anna stepped inside the three men following.

"Uncle Tony" Reed screamed as he ran towards Tony.

Tony crouched down as Reed ran smack into him for a hug.

"Can we go home now." Reed's voice was sad and excited at the same time. "I wanna go away."

"I um, I need to talk to everyone for a little bit okay?" Tony didn't even know what to say.

Reed nodded. "Then can we go?"

Tony was silent for a moment torn between wanting to cry and trying to be strong for Reed.

"Reed meet Jethro." Anna stepped in.

Stepping away from Tony Reed looked up at Gibbs.

"Do you work with Uncle Tony?"

"I do." Gibbs nodded with a smile.

"You his boss?"

Gibbs chuckled. "Yeah."

"Can you tell him what to do?"

"Sometimes." Gibbs smirked.

"Do you have a gun?" Reed asked.

"Yeah. When I'm at work."

"Reed why don't you show Jethro the pool out back." Anna smiled.

Looking over at her, Reed narrowed his eyes. "Grown up talk?"

She nodded in answer to his question.

"Fine." Reed sighed.

"We'll have our own private talk." Gibbs grinned.

A wide smiled played across Reeds face. "Let's go." Grabbing Gibbs' hand Reed pulled the man towards the back door.

Holly emerged from the kitchen as Gibbs and Reed walked out the back door.

"Tony." She forced a smile as she walked over and hugged him. "I didn't want this to be how we saw each other again.

"Yeah Me either."

The room then fell silent. It was Tony who finally asked a question.

"Why not you two as Reed's guardian?"

Anna glanced at Holly then back at Tony. "We love Reed but we can't be around enough for him."

"We're on the road sometimes months on end." Holly broke in. "He is starting school in the fall he needs someone with a daily routine."

"Daily routine? Sometimes I'm at work twelve and fourteen hours a day, more even." Tony explained.

"But..." Holly sighed. "I know it's not an easy adjustment, but Reed needs someone and Gabby and David wanted it to be you. They felt you could give him the life he needed."

"I just don't get it." Tony ran his hands over his face. Then he looked at Mark. "What happens if I can't take Reed?"

The other three people looked at each other.

"He becomes a ward of the state and he'll be put in a foster home." Mark paused. "They'll try to get him adopted but people want to adopt babies not a four year old about to start school."

Tony's face went white. He knew how the foster care system worked. Kids got pushed around from home to home, praying for a stable place to call their own.

###############################################################################

"Great pool." Gibbs nodded as Reed opened the back gate and dragged him over to the in ground pool.

"Wanna stick your feet in." Reed asked already pulling off his flip flops.

Gibbs hesitated a moment but then slipped off his shoes, socks then pushed up his pant legs.

Reed sat down on the edge of the pool and looked up at Gibbs waiting for him to sit down.

"You like to swim?" Gibbs asked as he dropped down next to Reed. His feet disappearing into the water.

"Yeah." Reed nodded as he moved his feet back and forth in the water.

"Me too."

"Uncle Tony doesn't want me to live with him." Reed said as he watched his feet move through the water.

"He just wants what's best for you." Gibbs answered as he looked out over the water.

"I can clean." Reed glanced over at Gibbs. "And build things."

Gibbs smiled. "I bet you can."

"Mommy taught me how to vacuum and dust."

"Those are good things to know how to do." Gibbs nodded.

"And I can build a bird house." He paused. "With help."

"Birds need a good home." Gibbs nodded.

"Dad was showing me how to make a picture frame too."

"Sounds like you're a pretty smart kid." Gibbs looked at Reed.

The boy nodded. "I start Kindergarten this fall. I passed my test."

"That's impressive." Gibbs smiled.

"I had to know my name, address, phone number, ABC's." He paused trying to remember everything he had to know. "Colors, shapes, stuff like that."

"All good things to know."

"Dad and Mommy want me to live with Uncle Tony."

"Yeah. They did."

"I don't have any other family." Reed looked at Gibbs. "Are you part of Uncle Tony's family?"

Gibbs nodded. "Yeah." His whole team was his family.

"Then that means you're my family too right?" Reed asked his eyes wide.

"I guess it does." Gibbs nudged against Reed shoulder.

"Cool." Reed grinned.

"Awesome pool!"

Gibbs looked hearing Tony's voice as he and Anna walk in through the gate.

"Hey Reed, I need to talk to Gibbs." Tony looked at the boy.

"I thought your name was Jethro?" Reed looked at Gibbs puzzled.

"Uncle Tony calls me by my last name." Gibbs smirked.

"Why?"

"Because of work. Me being his boss."

"But you call him Tony."

"Sometimes."

"I think he should call you Jethro. You're not at work." Reed stated.

Gibbs chuckled. "I'll see what I can do."

Reed smiled.

"I gotta go talk to Tony." Gibbs made sure to use Tony's first name.

"Can I ask you something." Reed said a sad serious expression on his face.

"Yeah." Gibbs nodded.

Reed put his hand over Gibbs ear and whispered into it. Gibbs tried to keep the sadness from his face at Reeds question. When the boy pulled back he looked at Gibbs.

"Can you?"

Gibbs shook his head but smiled. "But I'll talk to him about it. Okay?"

Reed nodded. "Tell him about the vacuuming and dusting. Oh and the birdhouses."

Gibbs grinned. "I will."

Standing up Gibbs made his way over to Tony and Anna.

"I need to talk to you in the house." Tony paused. "Anna will stay with Reed."

#########################################################################

Gibbs followed Tony into the house stopping when they reached the living room.

Tony turned around, folded his arms across, and looked at Gibbs.

"I'm raising Reed." Tony stated calmly.

Gibbs nodded.

"I need to do this." Tony took a deep breath. "I can do this."

"Your apartment?" Gibbs asked. "Not the best neighborhood."

"I'll move."

"How long will that take?"

Tony shook his head. "I don't know, but I'll make it happen as quick as possible."

"School?"

"I'll have to take a look at that."

Gibbs nodded. "And until you move?"

"We stay at the apartment." Tony sighed.

"You'll stay with me." Gibbs said nonchalantly.

"No. You've already done enough." Tony sighed. "This isn't your responsibility."

"No. It isn't but you and Reed will stay." Gibbs shoulders went back. "It's not open for debate."

"Gibbs. I can't." For so many reasons Tony thought to himself.

"This is not a request." Gibbs voice was that of the boss now.

"This isn't work." Tony stood up straight. "You don't get to give me orders about this."

Gibbs eyes locked on Tony's. "Is it that terrible to stay with me?"

Tony's stance softened. "That's not it."

"Then stay." Gibbs sighed. "Get everything settled. Deal with your apartment."

Tony knew he should just say yes.

"It's going to take time." Gibbs was trying to stress to Tony this was not going to happen overnight. "The apartment, looking at schools, trying to find a house. You can't live in that apartment with Reed while you try to do all of that."

Running his hands over his face, Tony knew there was no other way. And frankly he was scared shitless about the whole ordeal and needed some kind of support. Even if that meant being with Gibbs every day. He would have to focus on Reed and not on his feelings for Gibbs. He looked at Gibbs and nodded.

"Why are you doing this?" Gibbs asked wanting to understand what had made Tony decide this was what he needed to do.

Staring at the floor, Tony forced down the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. "I know what it's like to not have anyone be there for you as a kid. To be shuffled around to boarding schools, summer camps, more boarding schools."

Tony finally looked up at Gibbs.

"Never feeling like you have some place to really call your own." Tony shook his head. "I won't do that to Reed. Have him pushed around foster homes. Never, I won't let that happen."

"You'll make it work." Gibbs took a deep breath. "I know you. You can do anything you set your mind to."

"Thanks." Tony forced a smile.

Gibbs smiled. "Reed's a good kid."

Tony nodded.

"He knows how to vacuum, dust and build birdhouses."

"What?" Tony raised an eyebrow.

A sadness filled Gibbs' eyes as he spoke again.

"He asked me if I could order you to let him live with you." Gibbs paused. "He said to make sure you knew he could pull his own weight."

Tony shook his head. "God he's four! He shouldn't have to feel this way."

"Anna and Holly told him what happened?" Gibbs got the impression Reed knew but there was still something wrong.

"They tried to explain, but he's either not understanding or just not dealing with it." Tony sighed.

"He understands." Gibbs nodded. "Dealing with it. That will take time."

"They said he hasn't said anything about it and when they try and talk to him about it he walks away." Tony paused swallowing the lump in his throat. "He screamed and told them to stop last time they tried."

"Yeah." Gibbs looked at Tony. "That's gonna be the hardest part for you."

"Getting him to accept it, talk about it?" Tony asked.

Gibbs shook his head. "No. He'll tell you when it's time. You can't force him to do any of that."

"How do I handle all of this?" Tony felt his heart beating against his chest.

"Believe me. You'll be surprised." Gibbs smiled. "You'll find strength you never knew you had."

"I hope so."

"What next?" Gibbs asked already in get things done mode.

"I have papers to sign. Then um." Tony paused. "We need to get Reed's things from the house."

"You need to ask him if he wants to be there for that." Gibbs looked at Tony. "It's going to be a toss up."

"Might be too much for him right now."

Gibbs nodded. "But he needs to have the option."

"I need to go talk to him."

"Yeah."

"Will you-" Tony didn't know how to ask. Seemed like he was already asking so much of Gibbs.

"If you want." Gibbs smiled answered a question Tony didn't even ask.

Tony smiled back with a nod.

#################################################################################

Making their way into the back yard Anna and Reed were sitting at the patio table drawing. When Tony and Gibbs approached Anna stood up.

"I'll be inside if you need me." She smiled already knowing that Tony needed to talk to Reed.

Reed put down his marker and covered his picture with another paper. Gibbs sat down Tony following suit.

"Can I see your picture?" Tony asked.

Reed shook his head. "Not yet."

"Okay." Tony nodded.

"Are you leaving?" Reed asked staring at the paper in front of him.

"No." Tony shook his head. "You and I need to make some decision before I can leave."

"What kind of decisions?"

"Well first off." Tony paused. "I want to know that you're cool coming to live with me."

Reed looked up at Tony for the first time since they sat down. He nodded.

"You think you can put up with me?"

A small smile played across Reeds face as he nodded again.

"Did you forget how to talk?" Tony grinned.

"No." Reed grinned back.

"Good. Then I need to ask you a couple questions."

"Okay." Reed nodded.

"You like movies?"

"Yeah."

"You like Chinese food?"

"Yeah." Reed paused. "Only had two different kinds though."

"Okay. Final question." Tony looked at Reed seriously. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Reed laughed. "NO! I'm not old enough to have a girlfriend or a boyfriend."

Gibbs eyebrow went up.

Tony saw Gibbs reaction and so did Reed.

"Boys don't have to have girlfriends. They can have boyfriends too." Reed looked at Gibbs.

"True." Gibbs smiled and nodded.

"It's the same for girls to. Like Anna and Holly." Reed explained.

Gibbs nodded.

"Do you have a girlfriend or boyfriend?" Reed asked.

Tony had to chuckle. Not a lot of people would be brave enough to ask Gibbs that question.

"No I don't."

"Do you want one?"

Gibbs nodded again. "Yeah."

Reed looked at Tony. "Do you have a girlfriend or boyfriend?"

Gibbs smirked at Tony.

"Um no." Tony wanted to change the subject. "Okay do you have any questions for me?"

Reed nodded, his demeanor changing again to a scared child.

"Am I living with you forever?"

Tony smiled. "Forever."

Reed smiled. "REALLY?"

"Yeah." Tony chuckled.

"Do I get my own room?"

"Yeah although it won't be right away."

"Why?"

"Well because we are going to be living with Gibbs for awhile." Tony glanced at Gibbs.

"Why?"

"Because he has a big house that we can live in until we find one of our own."

"Why don't we all live together forever?"

Tony opened his mouth as if to say something then closed it not knowing how to answer that.

"We can talk about that more later." Gibbs smiled at Reed. "Okay?"

"Okay." Reed nodded.

"Any more questions?" Tony asked.

"Do I get to take all my stuff?"

"Sure."

"Everything?" Reed sounded surprised.

"Well if there are things you might not need we can decide together if you should bring it with you."

"But I get to help decide?"

"Of course." Tony smiled.

"Okay." Reed smiled. "Can we leave now?"

"Do you want to help pack up all your stuff?" Tony wanted to make sure.

Reed rolled his eyes. "Duh. How can I help decide what I need if I'm not there."

Gibbs chuckled.

"Okay then." Tony smirked.

Reed looked back and forth between Gibbs and Tony. "You two should be boyfriends."

Tony's eyes went wide.

Reed started laughing when he saw Tony's reaction. Then he slid off the chair and started running towards the house. "I'm going to go say goodbye to Anna and Holly."

Once he was gone, Tony glanced over at Gibbs.

"Kids don't hold back." Gibbs smirked. "They tell you exactly what they think."

"Yeah. I'm getting that." Tony shook his head.

############################################################################

"This is the coolest car ever!" Reed grinned from the passenger seat of Gibbs Dodge Challenger.

Gibbs chuckled. "Yeah it's pretty cool."

Tony was smiling in the back seat as he listened to the conversation.

They pulled into the driveway behind Mark.

Reed climbed out of the car quickly and ran towards the front door of the house.

Gibbs and Tony followed Mark.

"Don't feel like you need to do everything today." Mark said as he slipped the key into the door lock, Reed at his feet. As soon as the door opened Reed ran up towards the stairs.

"Reed." Mark called out. The boy paused. "Tony and I need to do a few things first."

"Can't I go get my stuff?" He asked. "Jethro can help me."

Gibbs nodded to Tony. "You two do what you need to do. I'll help Reed."

"Thanks." Tony smiled.

"Come on I have TONS of stuff." Reed grinned taking off up the stairs.

Gibbs shook his head and started up the stairs.

"In here." Reed shouted from the first room on the right.

Walking in Gibbs wasn't surprised when he saw the typical boy's room. A small twin bed with some kind of cartoon character blanket, posters on the wall, toys on the floor, a small Nerf basketball hoop over the head board of the bed, comic books on the bedside stand, a stuffed bear and dog on the bed, all the normal everyday things.

"Do you have a travel bag?" Gibbs asked.

Reed reached under the bed and pulled out a wheeled bag.

Gibbs smiled when he saw the Batman symbols on it. That popular culture reference he knew.

"Pack your favorite clothes in there."

"Okay." Reed dragged the bag over in front of the dresser. He opened a drawer pulling out some jeans and t-shirts, then a couple sweat shirts. Another drawer and he grabbed some night clothes. "Is that enough?"

Gibbs nodded. "But you need underwear."

Reed grinned. "Right."

Reaching into another drawer he grabbed some and threw them into the bag.

"I think we need to take the two stuffed animals." Gibbs smiled. "Don't you?"

"We better." Reed said grabbing them.

"What's their names?"

"Bear and Monty."

"Good names."

"Yeah." Reed grinned.

"What else do you think you should take, right now?" Gibbs asked.

Reed looked around the room. Then he went and grabbed his comic book and a portable video game. He stopped in front of a picture of him and his parents and hesitated. Finally, he reached up and grabbed it tossing all of the items into his bag.

"All good?" Gibbs smiled.

"Yup." Reed nodded.

"How's it going up here?" Tony smiled as he walked into the room.

"I packed up some stuff." Reed smiled proudly.

Tony grinned at him. "So everything in here needs to go right?"

"Do I need all of it?" Reed asked.

"Probably."

"Are we staying here tonight?" Reed suddenly looked worried.

"No." Tony smiled. "Hotel."

"Sweet!" Reed perked up. "Room service."

Gibbs chuckled and looked at Tony. "Now that sounded like you."

"I did?" Reed looked excited. "You like room service?"

"Room service is the best." Tony chuckled.

"Can we go?" Reed zipped up his bag.

Tony suddenly grabbed Reed and tossed the boy over his shoulder holding him by his ankles. Reed started laughing as Tony ran towards the stairs.

Gibbs shook his head, grabbed the bag and followed them down.

##########################################################################

"I can't believe you ate all of that." Tony shook his head and grinned at Reed.

"I love pizza." Reed grabbed his glass of milk and took a drink.

"Yeah but that was huge." Tony made his eyes big.

Reed laughed. "Nuh ah."

"I couldn't even eat all of my sandwich." Tony patted his stomach.

"Yeah but you ate french fries and that shrimp thing." Reed chuckled.

"I didn't think you noticed." Tony grinned.

"I did." Reed said then yawned.

"Maybe you should get changed for bed." Gibbs glanced at Reed from his position on the bed opposite him and Tony.

"Can I change but still stay awake?" Reed asked looking at Gibbs.

Gibbs nodded.

Reed climbed off the bed and ran to his bag. Opening it he pulled out his night clothes.

"You all good?" Gibbs asked Reed.

"Yup. All good." Reed said as he ran into the bathroom.

Gibbs smirked as he saw Reed push the door almost closed.

"You're great with kids." Tony said as he lay on his side looking over at Gibbs on the other bed.

"I don't know about that." Gibbs chuckled.

"You are." Tony sighed. "I can't thank you enough for everything you're doing."

"No thanks necessary." Gibbs leaned back against the head board.

"I don't think I could do all this by myself right now."

"You could." Gibbs smiled. "You're good with him."

Reed stepped out of the bathroom.

Gibbs looked over at him then tipped his head back towards the bathroom.

Reed rolled his eyes and stomped back into the bathroom.

Tony watched the scene between the two completely confused. Then he heard the water in the sink turn on and Reed brushing his teeth.

Tony chuckled and shook his head. "How do you do that? Without even a word."

Gibbs smirked. "He already knows he's supposed to do it. I just let him know I knew he hadn't."

Flopping back on the bed Tony sighed. "How am I supposed to learn all this!"

"With time." Gibbs paused. "And practice."

Reed walked back out and paused just outside the door.

Gibbs smirked and nodded.

Reed climbed back up on the bed beside where Tony lay sprawled out.

"You tired?" Reed asked lying down next to Tony and staring at the ceiling.

"Kinda." Tony answered looking up at the ceiling too.

"Me too."

"You wanna go to sleep?" Tony asked.

"Do I have to share the bed with you?"

Tony looked over at the boy. "No. Not if you don't want to."

"I move a lot in my sleep." Reed paused. "Dad says I kick him and hit him when he falls asleep with me."

"Then I better let you sleep by yourself." Tony stared back at the ceiling.

"Yeah."

Tony waited a minute then looked back over. Reed was sound asleep. Climbing off the bed, Tony slipped the blanket down under Reed's body then covered him up. For what seemed like hours he just stood there looking down at the small boy. It suddenly hit him that he was responsible for another human being, another life. He ran his hands through his hair. As scary as it was there was also some new sense of purpose. It was the strangest feeling he had ever had.

"Without even trying they change the whole way you look at life."

Tony heard Gibbs' voice directly behind him.

"It's so weird." Tony shook his head.

Reed suddenly twisted around, kicked out his legs and sprawled completely out taking up the middle of the bed.

Tony chuckled. "Guess he was telling the truth."

"I'm gonna change." Gibbs grabbed some clothes and disappeared into the bathroom.

Leaving the bedside, Tony grabbed a t-shirt from his bag. Slipping out of his suit, he left his boxers on and pulled the t-shirt over his head. A few seconds later Gibbs emerged from the bathroom.

"I'll sleep on the floor." Tony grabbed a pillow.

"Tony we can share a bed." Gibbs shook his head.

Tony looked surprised. "You sure?"

Gibbs climbed into the bed and laid down. "Yeah. But if you're uncomfortable then sleep on the floor I don't care."

"Right." Tony took a deep breath then slid into the bed next to Gibbs.

Reaching over Gibbs flipped off the light.

Tony rolled onto his side, facing away from Gibbs; this was not a good idea. Sharing a bed, being this close, moving in with him, what the hell was he thinking? Tony chewed at his bottom lip. He was scared that was the problem, raising a child by himself. What made him think he could do this? The tears fell without his consent and nothing could make them stop. As his body started to shake, he felt an arm slip around his waist and pull him close.

"It's gonna be okay." Gibbs whispered in Tony's ear.

Tony forced a nod, his hand coming down to rest on Gibbs' hand around his waist. It felt so good to be in Gibbs' arms, to feel safe and comforted for the first time since all this began. He wanted this so much, this life. But it wasn't anything other than one friend comforting another. So many thoughts were racing through his head as he cried. Gibbs' protective arms wrapped around him lulled him to sleep; a new peaceful sleep that he didn't even know existed until this moment.

################################################################################

He felt the stare even in sleep, his years of training immediately pulling him awake. Opening his eyes, he looked over Tony's body and saw Reed standing by the bed smiling. Gibbs realized they had never moved, sleeping through the night with Gibbs' arm still wrapped around Tony.

"Morning." Gibbs smiled over at Reed.

"Can we get breakfast?"

Gibbs smirked. "Yeah."

Gently removing his arm from around Tony, Gibbs slipped out of bed.

"Are we going to order room service?" Reed asked coming around to Gibbs' side of the bed.

"Why don't we go down stairs and grab something." Gibbs' voice remained low. "Uncle Tony needs some more rest."

Reed nodded then lowered his voice as well. "Okay."

Gibbs grabbed a pair of jeans, and then slipped on a t-shirt and shoes. "Let's go."

"I'm in my pajamas." Reed said looking at himself.

"I can see that." Gibbs grinned. "But hotels don't care about that."

"Cool." Reed smiled.

Gibbs scooped Reed up. "Crawl around."

Reed slipped around Gibbs' arm, wrapped his arms around Gibbs' neck and his legs around his ribs.

"Off we go."

As they made their way down the stairs, Reed was laughing as he hung from Gibbs' back. When they reached the breakfast room, Gibbs dropped Reed down on a chair.

"Cereal?" Gibbs asked.

Reed nodded.

Gibbs walked over and looked at the options then pointed at one.

Reed looked at his choice and shook his head.

Gibbs pointed to another one and Reed nodded with a smile. Getting a bowl he filled it and poured on some milk, grabbed a spoon and placed it down in front of Reed. Then Gibbs grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down at the table.

"Are you and Uncle Tony's boyfriends now?" Reed asked with a mouth full of cereal.

Gibbs raised an eyebrow at him.

Reed finished his bite then spoke again. "Are you?"

"No." Gibbs answered.

"Then why were you sleeping with him?"

"Because you were in the other bed." Gibbs smirked.

"But you two were cuddling." Reed said before shoving another spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

"Yeah." Gibbs nodded. "But that was just because we're friends."

Reed studied Gibbs. "You love him."

"I do."

"But not like a boyfriend?" Reed wanted a further explanation.

"Eat your cereal."

Reed grinned then took another bite.

Gibbs took a long sip of his coffee. Why did kids have to be so perceptive and honest? He thought to himself.