Stranger Danger

Jethro placed his towel down on the lawn chair that he grabbed before anyone ells could. He then proceeded to place his son down on the ground in front of him as he sat on said chair. Tony had his thumb in his mouth and his eyes looking around with a wide eyed look taking everything in. This was not Tony's first time at a pool, but he always got a wondrous look on his face every time he came to one. Tony was now three and a half years old and was very smart for a child his age, Jethro was very proud of that when the doctors told him how Tony could identify things and call them by their given name sooner than most kids his age.

Jethro was now getting out the baby sun screen lotion, he was here by himself for Shannon had to go into work today and Jethro had had a day off. So he had decided to spend some father and son time at the public pool. He grabbed Tony's arms pulling his thumb from his mouth and wiped them in the lotion. After he was sure that his son wasn't going to burn, he then proceeded in getting himself wiped down in sun screen lotion as well. Tony stood patiently in front of him his left hand fisted in Jethro's swim trunks and his right hand thumb in his mouth while he continued to scout the pool.

Because of Jethro's many tours and having to leave unexpectedly a lot of the time, Tony had developed a clinginess every time Jethro was around he would not want to leave his side and when he did Tony would cry for hours, not even trying to distract him will help. Every time that Jethro would have to leave again and Tony would cry it would always almost break Jethro's own heart at the site. Soon Jethro was done wiping himself down and he was now blowing up Tony's arm floaties. After getting them blown up, he first pulled off Tony's shirt leaving him in his tiny swim trunks, and then he slipped the floaties on. After he was done with that he pulled off his own shirt leaving him in his swim trunks which Tony was still hanging onto.

Jethro then decided that they were both ready and picked up his son heading over to the steps where most of the little kids were due to the depth of the water. Jethro walked to the steps climbed down to the last one then sat down. Tony's eyes turned from the look of wonder to that of surprise and he grabbed his daddy's side a bit tighter at the shock. He looked down at the water then back up at his father.

"Water" He said sticking his free hand that wasn't on Jethro's shoulder into the water. The water covered Jethro's legs and not much else in the little kid's area, and he held Tony so that the water went to his knees as he stood in front of Jethro in the pool.

"Yup that's water, and this is a pool. Can you say pool Anthony?" Jethro asked his son. Tony pulled his hand back wet and placed against Jethro's chest, while he bounced up and down in Jethro's arms.

"POOL!" Tony screeched excitedly. Jethro smiled and ran a hand through Tony's hair while he kissed his forehead, taking in the baby smell that his son still smelled of. Tony then plopped down on his butt which made the water soak him wet all the way to his neck. Jethro smiled at his son's excitement. It was refreshing after fighting in war for a few months or training on base for a day to come home to this beautiful baby boy that was his 'which was still really amazing to believe' and his beautiful wife.

They sat in that spot playing for a while, Tony having a blast and laughing the whole time. Just then there was a splash and laughter right next to them and when Jethro looked over he saw a little girl about Tony's age.

"Billy! That was not very nice, say you're sorry." A man around Jethro's age said while bending down and picking up the little girl.

"Sorry" The girl muttered into the man's should while looking at Jethro.

"That's quit alright." Jethro said while keeping one hand on Tony who was staring at the new comers.

"Well we were just leaving; again I am so sorry for that." The man said then left. Jethro smiled then looked back at Tony who was reaching as far as he could for a floating football that had drifted over to them. Jethro reached over and grabbed it putting it in reach for his son. Tony latched onto it and slipped out of his father's grip getting a few feet away and gave a heaving throw back at Jethro with the football. It landed a foot in front of him, Jethro smiled.

"There you go Tony, just a little more strength next time kay." He said as he tossed the ball back to Tony who grabbed at it then giggled. Tony then proceeded to turn around with the ball to his chest and plopped down on his stomach, thinking the ball would him up. Finding out the hard way it did not and got water up his nose, Tony jumped back up and sneezed turning back to his father with wide eyes. Jethro couldn't hold it in as he felt the bubble of laughter come up. Tony smiled back at him and started splashing and playing in place. Jethro watched from where he was making sure his son would not drown.

Just then a boy about the age of 10 came up to Tony, he pointed at the football. Tony looked down at it and back at the boy. The boy nodded his head, and Tony handed over the football. Then he just stood there running his hands through the water with a tiny pout on his face. Jethro came over to him then.

"Hey buddy whatdya say we go over to that shop over there and get a toy football to play with Jethro said not liking the pout on Tony's face. Tony's face then split into a grin and he nodded excitedly. Jethro new that his son was a constant talker and would nonstop talk about a lot of things but for some reason when they were in public in front of a lot of people, the kid would become completely shy. Jethro smiled and held Tony's hand as they made their way over to the shop. Once there Jethro waited in the line that consisted of three other people. When it became two, Jethro let go of Tony's hand to open his wallet that he had grabbed before coming over.

Tony immediately fisted his hand in his father's swim trunks, Jethro smiled it was exactly what he had taught Tony to do whenever he let go of his hand. Once his wallet was out he swiped his hand through his son's hair and stepped forward as the line moved up. Just then Jethro's marine training kicked in as he sensed someone watching them. He looked over to the pool entrance and saw a man in jeans and black jacket watching him. Jethro felt real uneasy about him and bent down to pick up Tony holding him close.

"Look daddy they have lot of footballs in there!" Tony said excitedly as he could now see into the shop because Jethro held him up.

"Yup there sure is." Jethro pinched his lips together watching the man out of the corner of his eye. "You remember what I told you about strangers right Anthony." Jethro asked his son and he tapped him on the nose with his pointer finger of his free hand.

"Yup, stranger danger." Tony said happily.

"Yes that's right, when a stranger talks to you don't talk back unless I say it's ok. If you're by yourself then don't talk at all or stick around, come get me right away."

"I know daddy, I know!" Tony said exasperated.

"You do, do you." Jethro said with a smile, Tony nodded his head matter-of-factly. "Ok then." Jethro said as he then was next in line to buy from the shop. Jethro pointed out the football and paid for it, they then went back into the pool and played for a while until Tony had to go to the bathroom. Jethro got him out and led him into the bathroom. Jethro was about to head into the stall with Tony to make sure if he needed any help.

"No, no, I'll do it myself." Tony said then shut the stall Jethro smiled to himself then leaned against the wall to wait. Just then the bathroom door opened and the man that Jethro saw earlier walked in and moved to the side and leaned against the wall as well. Jethro glared at the man but the man seemed unfazed in fact the man's eyes looked as if he were ill. Not ill as in cold ill but ill in the head. Jethro did not like this at all. Just then Tony opened his stall and jumped out pleased with himself, Jethro saw the man's eyes land on Tony.

"I did it daddy all by myself." Tony said excitedly just then there was a shuffle, out of the corner of Jethro's eye he saw the guy pull out a gun, pointing it at Jethro. Jethro quickly got into a position to where he was mostly covering Tony, and Tony latched on to the back of Jethro's leg.

"NO, NO, NO!" The man said still pointing the gun. Jethro held his hands out in a non-threating way.

"Daddy." Tony said in a scared voice.

"No! Shut up Tony!" The man yelled, Jethro felt Tony jump and cling to him more, but what made Jethro more worried was that he knew Tony's name.

"Calm down, we can work this out." Jethro tried to reason.

"No, I can't be calm, I won't." The man said his hand that held the gun started shacking.

"I'm sure if you take a few…"

"No! He's mine, now give him to me!" the man said gesturing the gun towards Tony.

"No." Jethro said in a no-nonsense tone. Jethro had no clue what this guy was talking about, but he wasn't going to hand over his son. Jethro felt Tony's hand slip into his and Jethro grabbed onto it holding tight.

"No, no, no, He's mine, give him back, give him back now!" The man yelled.

"No, He's not." Jethro said sternly.

"Yes, he has to be, when, when he wa, was born the doctors messed up. You got the wrong one, my son didn't die, he's right there! He's mine." The man said pointing at Tony. Jethro thinks he's starting to understand him now that he is talking. So when Tony was born this man had a son as well on the same day, but his son didn't make it and now he thinks Tony is his. How long has this man had been watching them, and why had Jethro not seen it?

"I assure you Tony is my son, my flesh and blood." Jethro said calmly, trying to ease the man into putting the gun down, just then Jethro saw the door to the bathrooms open and two police officers pointing their guns at the man. Someone must have called them. Jethro signaled for them to wait, he really did not want a scene with his son still in the middle of it.

"How can you be so sure?" The guy said upset.

"Because, my wife asked me to stay with him every step of the way until he was back in her arms, and that's what I did. I can most definitely assure you that Tony is mine." Jethro said, then Jethro saw it what he was pretty sure was there in the guy's eyes. He really didn't want to hurt anybody especially Tony, he just wanted his son back. Jethro could not understand what the guy was going through for he has not lost a child but he is sure that if he lost Tony he would go a little crazy as well. The man's hands then went to his head including the one with the gun as he yelled out his frustration. He then leaned against the far wall and slid down while crying.

At that point Jethro turned around and bent down picking Tony up whom he had realized had been crying silently while sucking his thumb with his free hand and his other hand laced with Jethro's hand. He carried him out of the bathroom past the cops who went in; he left it to them to take care of the man. He carried Tony over to their stuff grabbed it then headed out to his truck.

He opened the passenger door while at the same time through the stuff in the back of the truck he then placed Tony on the passenger seat facing him. Tony was hiccupping but he had stopped crying, while his eyes were wide. Jethro placed both his hands on either side of his sons head. He kissed the top of it and pulled him close.

"Sh it's alright, daddy's got you, and everything is going to be ok. I won't let anything happen to you." Jethro whispered while rocking back and forth with his son held tightly in his arms. After a while of more crying Tony had cried himself to sleep. Jethro placed him in his car seat and buckled him up. He then shut the door talked to the cops that had come over then got into the driver's side and headed home.

When Shannon got home the first thing she noticed was all the lights except the living room lights were off including the TV. She walked into the living room and came onto a sight that made her heart swell with love. Jethro sat in the recliner with their son on his chest and his arm around him; his other arm was out and holding a gun pointing towards her. It may have startled her if not for how cute it looked to see Jethro protect their son.

"Jumpy much?" Jethro put the gun down on the coffee table and rubbed his eyes like he had been sleeping which Shannon is pretty sure he was. Tony was still asleep on his father's chest.

"Sorry Shan, long and ruff day." He said as he ran his hand through their son's hair. Jethro then proceeded to tell Shannon what had happened, she was horrified to find out how the day could have gone. She sat down next to them and ran her hand down Tony's back. Up close she realized that Tony had his hands fisted his father's shirt.

"Can he sleep with us tonight Shan?" Jethro asked kissing the top of their sons head.

"Of course, come on let's all head to bed." That night they put Tony in the middle between them both parents facing him, with Jethro's hand on Tony's small back and Shannon's covering his. Jethro just stared Shannon was already asleep and so was Tony. God his family was so beautiful; he could only hope he could protect them from all the horrors that he knew was out there. Oh he would protect them or at least die trying, Jethro thought to himself right before he closed his eyes and sleep took him.

That's all till next time!

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