I want to thank everyone for being patient with me on the new story. Life has been crazy and I had hoped to start posting sooner. I will warn you it will probably be a week or so before I can post another chapter.

Thank you to Srienia my amazing beta reader for being patient with me since I'm working without MS Office right now.

##########

Signing his name to the bottom of the report, he flipped the file shut.

"Done." Tony put his feet up on his desk and leaned back in the chair with a satisfied smile. It was already after eight, everyone else was gone, well except Gibbs who was in MTAC. Gibbs had been playing director for a couple weeks, but Vance was back tomorrow. It not only made Gibbs happy, but Tony as well. With Gibbs playing director, he was responsible for all of Gibbs work and he was more than happy to relinquish that responsibility. Plus with the weekend coming, he was hoping to flip through his little black book and find someone to help him work off the stress of two weeks of staying late, endless paperwork, and no play time.

The hum of the elevator stopping, then the familiar ding of the doors opening made Tony jerk his feet from his desk and sit up straight. Watching as the doors parted, a look of utter confusion washed over his face as the man stepped out and towards the bull pen.

"Jack, what are you doing here?" Gibbs father had never just shown up out of the blue before. It had to be bad, yet Jack was smiling.

"He didn't tell you?"

Tony shook his head.

Jack Gibbs rolled his eyes. Of course not, why would his son tell anyone he was coming for a visit. "They're doing some beautification to the road in front of the store, decided to shut down and come for a visit."

"That's great." Taking a peek at the plastic bag in Jack's hand, Tony quickly looked back up.

Jack chuckled and held out the bag. "Go ahead."

"Thanks Jack." Tony smiled as he snatched the bag from Jack's hand and pulled out the round tin. Opening the lid, Tony inhaled deeply. He picked out a cookie, took a bite and groaned contently.

"Awesome." He said through a mouthful of cookie.

"I'm glad." Jack leaned back against Ziva's empty desk. "He still in meetings?"

"Yeah." Tony nodded. "You take a cab?"

"He sent a car to bring me here."

"I was getting ready to leave. I can take you to Gibbs'."

"Okay." Jack nodded. "He got beer at the house?"

"As of two days ago yes, but." Tony closed the tin and shoved it back in the bag. "He's playing director so I'd say it's long gone."

Jack chuckled. "Then we'll stop on the way."

"Let me grab my stuff." Turning off his computer, Tony grabbed his backpack and tossed the files on Gibbs' desk. "Let's hit it."

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

"He really did that?" Tony managed to say through his laughter.

"Oh yeah." Jack laughed as well. "He was trying to impress someone."

"Probably some girl." Tony snickered. Why else does a teenage boy pretend he can ride a motorcycle when he can't?

Jack took a swig of beer. "Can't believe he's never told you that."

"Gibbs!" Tony shook his head. "Not really one to share, especially personal stories."

"Yeah," Jack sighed. "Not sure where he got that from."

After a minute of deliberation, Tony asked. "Was his mom outgoing?"

Jack chuckled. "Oh yeah. She could talk to anyone. Smart as a whip and as pretty as any of those Hollywood starlets." He glanced at Tony. "Reminded me of Hedy Lamarr."

"Oohhh." Tony clutched at his chest.

"Yeah." Jack grinned. "She was a looker."

"I bet she was." Tony grinned back.

"He's got a lot of her in him." Jack's voice hid a hint of sadness. "She was stubborn as hell, but loyal and compassionate." He shook his finger towards Tony. "And don't you dare mess with the people she cared about and loved because she would pounce like a momma bear protecting her cubs."

"Gibbs is definitely like that." Tony took a swig of his beer. "Believe me I've seen what he does to someone who goes after the people he loves."

"We both have."

"Right." Tony nodded. Jack had experience first-hand how Gibbs set up Paloma Reynosa when she went after him and the team.

Jack leaned forward in the chair and looked at Tony a seriousness in his eyes. "You two are close."

"Um." Tony's brow furrowed. "Yeah, I like to think so."

"You think so." Jack snickered.

Why did this question always trip him up? Tony shrugged. "He's family and I have his six 24/7-"

"But." Jacked knew there was a but, there's always a but when it comes to his son and relationships of any kind.

Tony sank back into the couch and stared at his beer bottle. He avoided using but. "No matter how close I get to Gibbs there's still this chasm between us."

"Interesting word choice?" For years, Jack had felt a high thick wall between himself and his son, but a chasm? "A wall I understand, I've been there."

"No." Tony shook his head. "A wall you can break through, climb over...a chasm is too wide to even try and build something across, at least without the right tools and Gibbs definitely doesn't give you the tools to do that."

Taken aback by Tony's frank and honest explanation, Jack leaned back in the chair. "You know he really does care about you."

"I know." Tony gave a half-hearted smile. He truly didn't doubt that. Suddenly his eyebrow went up. "And how do you know Gibbs cares?"

Jack grinned at Tony's question. "Occasionally my son does talk to me."

"He talks to you about me?" Tony's interest was piqued. To have some kind of first-hand knowledge, an insight into the inner thoughts of Gibbs was like finding the Holy Grail.

"He has." A nice short answer that Jack knew would only intrigue Tony more.

Tony stared at Jack for a minute, then jerked wildly. "Oh come on, you gotta give me more than that!"

"The explosion." Jack saw the sadness instantly settle in Tony's eyes. "He called when you were trapped in the elevator, he was worried. More worried than I'd heard him in a long time."

"Really?" That was interesting given the fact that Gibbs hadn't even stayed to make sure he and Ziva were safely out before disappearing. Still, calling Jack about it seemed odd.

"We talked until he got the call that you'd been rescued."

"Ziva and I."

"What?" Jack looked at him confused.

"Ziva and I were rescued, she and I were in the elevator."

"Huh." Jack scratched his head. "He never said anything about Ziva being with you."

"What?" It was Tony's turn to look confused. "He never said anything about it being Ziva and I trapped in the elevator?"

Jack shook his head. "Just said he wanted to talk until they called to say you were safe."

Okay that was weird. It was nothing. Tony told himself. Maybe Jack just forgot about Gibbs mentioning Ziva.

"Enough deep talk." Jack snapped. "I need another beer."

Pushing the thought from his head, Tony jumped on. "I'll grab them."

#######

Pushing open the door, the sound of laughter filled the house and rang in his ears.

"Oh come on!"

He heard the familiar voice say as he made his way into the living room. Stopping just across the threshold, he looked at the two men. Tony sitting on the couch clutching his stomach still laughing. His father on the chair laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes. Both of them with a beer in their hand and six empty bottles on the coffee table.

Sensing the presence, Jack looked up and met his son's gaze. "Son."

"Dad." Gibbs nodded then looked at Tony who had finally started to control his laughter.

"Hey Gibbs." Tony said still chuckling softly. "Your dad was just telling me about the girl-"

Jack cleared his throat and glared at Tony.

"Right." Tony pretended to zip his lips.

Gibbs shook his head and went into the kitchen. "You leave me any beer?"

"Yep a whole six pack." Tony smiled as Gibbs walked into the living room with a bottle. "I figured you would be out after these last couple days as Director."

Gibbs gave a grunt in agreement as he opened the beer and took a long drink downing half the bottle. He tipped his head at Tony. "How many of those are yours?"

Tony glanced at the bottles on the coffee table. "Three."

"Then you'll be sleeping on the couch." Gibbs looked at his dad. "You'll take the bed upstairs."

"And you?" Jack asked.

"I'll be in the basement." Gibbs said as he walked away.

Jack looked over at Tony. "Is he pissed?"

Tony shook his head. "He's always like this when he has to play director."

"I'd prefer the couch if you don't mind."

"Sure." Getting up, Tony paused. "I'm gonna go-"

"Go." Jack smiled. "I'll get rid of these bottles."

"Thanks." Tony stepped into the kitchen, grabbed a beer from the fridge and headed down to the basement.

Jack just shook his head.

##########

Silently, Tony walked down the basement steps and towards the table where Gibbs was carving into a piece of wood. He sat the beer down on the table, picked up the empty one and tossed it into the trash. He smiled to himself when he noticed the sawhorse already sitting by the table. Taking a seat he picked up a chisel and looked at it.

Gibbs grabbed the bottle and took a swig. He carved a few more lines then spoke. "Thanks."

"Sure."

"And for bringing dad here."

"You know how much I like Jack." Tony and Jack had bonded instantly that first time they met and had grown closer during each of Jacks visit to D.C.

"Yeah, you two are peas in a pod." Gibbs mumbled.

"Hey now." Tony snapped and he waited for Gibbs to look up then pointed his finger at the older man. "Your days as director are over so I want basic grumpy bastard Gibbs back not annoyed beyond belief at all the crap I have to do as director grumpy bastard Gibbs!" It took a second, but that little half smirk curled on the corner of Gibbs' lips. "That's better." Tony smiled.

"Leon called before I left, his plane landed on time."

"Good, then you really are done being Director." Tony's smile widened.

"I am." And Gibbs was never so grateful. "I can only imagine the stories he was telling you."

Tony held up his hands. "Don't ask I have "crossed my heart and hoped to die" promised not to disclose anything said."

"Wasn't gonna ask." Gibbs chuckled. He'd never admit it, but he was glad Tony and his dad got a long so well. Tony saw Jack as the kind of father he always had wanted and Gibbs was sure Jack saw Tony as the son he probably would have liked to have.

"Good because you may be my boss, but I'm sorry Jack's my homeboy."

Gibbs couldn't help it, he chuckled.

"Although I can say he showed me a picture of your mother." Tony said it without thinking. "She was beautiful, you have her smile."

"She was beautiful." Gibbs said with a somber smile.

"A beautiful red head." Tony had always thought the red head thing started with Shannon...seemed it might go a little deeper than that.

His gaze locked on Tony's a moment, then left as he went back to the carving.

And there is the chasm. A conversation gets personal and Gibbs shuts him out. Tony sighed. "I should head to bed."

"Night." Gibbs said without looking up.

"Night." Tony said as he made his way up the steps and into the living room. He paused when he saw Jack already asleep on the couch. Stepping quietly, Tony turned off the end table light then went upstairs in the darkness. He'd crashed here enough to not need any light to guide him. Everyone always assumed he slept on the couch, but truth was he almost always slept upstairs, per Gibbs' orders. He was almost positive Gibbs rarely slept in the bed upstairs, it never smelled like him, not even a hint of old spice or wood.

###########

Making his way to the coffee pot, Gibbs poured a cup and went to the kitchen table where his father sat already reading the paper. Gibbs grabbed the sports page and started reading. This was one of the things he enjoyed about his dad staying. His dad was an early riser like himself and coffee was always made by the time he was up.

"Want me to check on Tony?"

Glancing at his watch, Gibbs shook his head. "Let him sleep it's early."

Still staring at the paper in his hand, Jack spoke. "Why do you shut him out?"

Gibbs didn't reply.

"He's a good man." A pause. "Loyal." Pause. "Trustworthy."

Still nothing.

"And he actually gives a crap about you for some reason."

Gibbs rolled his eyes behind the paper. "Already know all this."

Jack took a sip of coffee, flipped to the next page of the paper and continued. "Would it kill ya to actually open up a little bit to him."

"Might."

Putting the paper down, Jack glared over at his son.

"Let it go." Gibbs never looked over, ignoring the glare he could feel boring into the side of his face.

Jack shook his head and went back to the paper.

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

Both of the Gibbs men looked up as they heard what sounded like a stampede above them and it move down the stairs and Tony came running through the living room into the kitchen. He had managed to tug on his pants, but they weren't fastened. His shirt was thrown over his shoulder and he had one shoe under his left arm, the other on his right foot.

"What time is it?" He barked, then looked at Gibbs some of the tension leaving his body when he realized if Gibbs was still here he wasn't late.

"Sit." Gibbs ordered in his boss tone and Tony instantly dropped down into the chair at the table. "You have plenty of time."

Tony let out a long breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "I need to get home and get some clothes though."

"Closet upstairs." Gibbs said still skimming through the paper.

"Good." Tony sighed.

Jack let the paper fall forward and he looked at Tony. "You have clothes here?"

"Well if it's the suit I'm thinking of it's because the heater went out at my apartment a couple weeks ago and I stayed here the night it was getting fixed."

"That's the suit." Gibbs confirmed.

"It was the suit I came here in." Tony paused and looked over at Gibbs. "Is it clean?"

Gibbs nodded.

"Thanks." Tony smiled then turned back to Jack.

"You stay here a lot?"

"Now and then."

"You have a drawer full of clothes upstairs don't you?" Jack smirked.

Tony's eyes danced back and forth between the two Gibbs men as if he was afraid to answer truthfully. Not that he was ashamed to admit there was a drawer of odd ball clothing of his upstairs, but because if you didn't know the situation you might take it the wrong way.

"Yes." Gibbs finally answered for Tony. "Tony and Abby both have a drawer upstairs."

Jack and Tony both turned to Gibbs and raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" Jack grinned.

Gibbs pointed a finger at Tony. "You know better." Then he looked at his dad. "And you get your mind out of the gutter." He knew all too well his dad's little crush on Abby and Ziva.

Tony put his hand over his mouth and tried to fight back the laughter.

"What she's a beautiful woman, you're a good looking man." Jack shrugged. "You're both adults."

"STOP!" Gibbs hollered.

"Just saying." Jack winked at Tony.

"I thought they were sleeping together when I first started at NCIS." Tony felt his head slammed forward. Damn when would he learn to keep his mouth shut. In a very serious voice Tony added. "But as time went on I realized that their relationship is that of a father and daughter."

Jack chuckled. "You train him to say that?"

Tossing down the paper, Gibbs pushed himself away from the table. "I'm getting ready for work."

Waiting until Gibbs was safely upstairs, Jack leaned across the table towards Tony. "He seems a little sensitive about that."

"She really is like a daughter to him." Tony sighed. "Plus there's the whole rule twelve."

"Rule twelve?" Tony had mentioned the rules before.

"Yeah see Gibbs' rule twelve." Tony explained. "Is never date a co-worker."

"Never?"

Tony moved his head from side to side. "Well-"

"Knowing my son, he broke it."

"Not really, kinda why there is a rule twelve."

"Ah." Jack nodded knowingly. "He dated a co-worker then made the rule."

"Yes." Tony nodded deeply.

"Red head?"

"Yep." Tony smirked. "But really, Abby is a daughter to him, no hanky panky. She teases him about being our silver haired fox. It's all in good fun."

"My son's a good looking man, takes after his father."

"He's a very attractive man." Tony said without hesitation, then his eyes widened and he froze. "I mean I guess as men go he's good looking, he doesn't seem to have a problem getting women. Not that he dates a lot, but I mean we come in contact with a lot of beautiful women during cases and a lot of them have shown their interest. I've only known a couple, I mean he's not really the settle down kinda guy, but-"

"I get it." Jack patted Tony's hand. "Believe me...I get it."