Vance smiled and took out his phone while the others looked on. Vance smiled, as the person on the other end picked up, "Agent Fornell, this is Vance. I am at the end warehouse at the docks next to Norfolk NAS. There has been an incident involving two of our agents, we would like to cede the crime scene to the FBI to work."

Fornell inquired, "Does this have to do with DiNozzo? Did you all find him?"

Vance smiled, "Yes it does. Gibbs found DiNozzo, between David and Gibbs they shot three people. Thankfully DiNozzo made it out alive but only barely, Gibbs was brought back to the hospital for observation. The team and I want to head to the hospital and help them keep Gibbs locked tight until the Doctors let him go."

Fornell snickered, "Secure the doors, I will have the team there within a half hour."

Vance snapped the phone shut, "Ok team lets get out of here and check on our boys."

At the hospital Tony and Gibbs were placed in adjoining ER bays. They had called in Dr. Brad Pitt to handle Tony's care. Gibbs sat in the other side of the wall listening to all the seemingly random words spoken by the doctors and nurses. He didn't understand anything other than it was bad really bad.

After about 30 minutes he saw Tony being whisked away with a group of nurses and doctors surrounding the gurney. Gibbs sighed deep and said a silent prayer for Tony. He heard a knock on the door and Dr. Pitt came in the room.

Dr. Pitt smiled and looked at Gibbs chart, "Looks like you are doing fine Agent Gibbs. I know they will want to keep you for a day or two for observation. I know the one thing you want to know more than how you are is how Tony is? Am I right?"

Dr. Pitt continued, "Well Tony is stable for the moment. Those men did a real number on him. He has two broken legs and they aren't just clean breaks they are shattered in multiple places. He has three broken ribs and several others that are cracked or bruised. He has some brain swelling from multiple concussions and then there are the myriad of cuts and scraps all over his body. He is going into surgery now to fix some eternal bleeding and mend his broken legs. He is in really bad shape and it will be a very long time before he is able to get back to work and he is going to need a lot of support during his recovery but I am confidant that will recover from this. He beat the plague for Goodness sake this will be a walk in the park for him."

Gibbs gave Dr. Pitt a smile, "Thank you for keeping me informed. You don't have to worry about him having support during his recovery. I have always been there for him, I wont stop now."

Dr. Pit patted his shoulder, "I know Agent Gibbs, I know. I will come by and give you an update when he is out of surgery. Until then sleep Agent Gibbs you need it."

Gibbs laid his head back and for the first time since Tony was taken he was ready for some rest.

That evening Dr. Pitt arranged for Gibbs to be in the same room. Tony was unconscious and on a respirator and being monitored very closely. Gibbs was fine just ordered to rest. They wouldn't normally allow a critical patient to room with a stable one but Dr. Pitt knew that if Tony was anywhere other than in Gibbs eye sight Gibbs would move heaven and earth and probably hurt himself to get by his side.

The team had been there all evening but was finally kicked out till morning by the nursing staff. Gibbs got out of bed and went to sit in the chair next to Tony.

He gently held his hand and said, "It is easier for me to say this to you when you are not a wake and I know that you wont remember it but Tony, I just want you to know that I am so sorry you had to suffer so much because of me. I am sorry that the way I feel about you caused some maniac to choose you to hurt. When Shannon and Kelly were killed it left a whole in my heart that I tried to fill with three ex wives and a slue of other women and a whole lot of bourbon. When you tackled me in Baltimore and figured out my plans so quickly you began to worm your way into that hole in my heart."

Gibbs laughed sadly, "I wish you were awake to hear this, you would be shocked that I could speak so many words with out exploding. Back to what I was saying, you needed someone to show you a father's love and I had so much love to offer. I look at you know and I see my son first and then my SFA. You have to beat this thing for me and live okay. I will take care of you while you recover and maybe we will get to do some Father/Son things together too. We could go see a game and maybe you can show me some of those movies that you are always quoting. Please Anthony, wake up and show me those beautiful green eyes of yours please. I love you so much son."

Exceeding his yearly word count in one sitting he lowered his head and rested it on Tony's hand. Neither men noticed two nurses standing and listening outside the door. Both women had tears streaming down their faces. They closed the door quietly and turned to head back to their desk but instead ran into Dr. Pitt.

Dr. Pitt noticing their tears asked, "What happened ladies? Why are you crying?"

Nurse Judy answered, "Nothing happened Doctor. We were about to go check on Agent Gibbs and Agent DiNozzo and we stopped when we heard Agent Gibbs sitting and talking to Tony. Doctor, is Agent Gibbs Tony's Dad?"

Dr. Pitt smiled, "No he isn't. But he is listed as Tony's next of kin. They have a really unique relationship. When I treated Tony for the plague Gibbs came in at Tony's sickest point and ordered him to live."

Nurse Louis laughed, "He ordered him to live?"

Dr. Pitt smiled and shook his head, "Yes he did, and the dandiest thing is from that point on he got better. Tony needed Gibbs to tell him he wanted him to live. Those two men are closer than any friends; lovers even, that I have ever seen. Closer than most Fathers and Sons, I asked Ducky, their personal Doctor about it and he said that Anthony needed a father and Gibbs needed a child, so they found each other."

Nurse Judy began to tear up again at the explanation, "That is so sweet. Oh man I need to go to the bathroom and splash some water on my face before I go back in there."

Dr. Pitt laughed, "Don't worry about it I came to check on them. I will handle this vitals check."

A week later

Gibbs as in his usual place next to Tony's bed, no one could convince Gibbs to go home for long. He would head home for a shower and maybe a few hours of sleep in a bed but he would be drawn back to Tony's side.

Part of it was selfishness he wanted to be the first face his lead agent saw the other part that kept him near was the need to protect Tony. He hadn't been able to keep him safe through this latest disaster but he would never let something like this happen again.

Seven days after Gibbs found him in that warehouse he was sitting next to Tony's bed telling him about the sunrise outside his window when Gibbs was brought out of his ramblings by a hand squeezing his. He looked down at Tony and was greeted by the most beautiful site he had ever seen. Two green eyes starring back at him.

Gibbs smiled a huge and genuine smile, "Well hello sleeping beauty I was wondering when you were going to stop being lazy and join the rest of us?"

Tony couldn't speak with the respirator but the look on his face told Gibbs what he needed to hear.

Gibbs squeezed his hand in understanding, "It is over and they are all dead. They can't hurt you anymore."

Gibbs could see Tony's body visibly relax and a contented escaped out of his mouth.

By morning rounds Tony was sitting in bed breathing on his own getting ready to have his first liquid in over a week. Gibbs sat on the bed next to him and cupped the small of his neck and lifted him up slightly to be able to drink without choking. He reminded him to take small sips.

Tony looked over at Gibbs and whispered, "Thanks for saving me. I knew you would find me."

Gibbs smiled and looked into Tony's eyes. "I am sorry I didn't find you before they hurt you so bad."

Tony laughed, "Nothing a few months in a rehab hospital wont fix. I will be back annoying Ziva and McGee in no time."

Gibbs got a serious look on his face, "You aren't going to go to a rehab hospital."

Tony argued, "Boss it is obvious that I am I cant go to my apartment with two broken legs and all the other things wrong with me."

Gibbs patted his cheek, "You are going to come home with me and you are going to let me take care of you."

Tony tried to sit up a little more, "Boss that is really sweet but you have to work and it just wouldn't work out I am going to need a lot of help for a long time."

Gibbs held up his hand to silence Tony, "I have all ready told Vance that I am taking a leave of absence from NCIS till you are back in fighting shape. I have six months of accrued leave time and Vance said I could take another three months of comp time if I needed to so I would be paid the whole time. So no problem with work or money, I can just focus on you and helping you heal."

Tony looked shocked, "Why would you do that for me? That is rearranging your whole life just for me? I don't understand why you would do that? If you feel guilty about them targeting me don't, I am tougher than Ziva and definitely tougher than McGee those goons would have killed them. You don't have to feel guilty boss. I don't blame you."

Gibbs shook his head and said, "You just earned yourself the mother of all head slaps when you are better for that. I am not taking time off for some misguided sense of guilt. Tony, in my heart you are my son and that is what Fathers do. They help when their children are hurting not because of obligation but because they cant imagine being anywhere else other than beside their child."

Tony smiled a sad smile, "You know growing up that is not the kind of fathers love I experienced. His way of showing love was to pay for a plane ticket back when he left me in Hawaii."

Gibbs reached over and kissed his forehead, " I know and I am sorry for that. I wish I could have been there then to kiss skin knees and help sooth a broken teenage heart but I am here now and I am going to show you in the next year how a father acts."

Tony smiled, "You have been showing me for the last nine years boss."

Exactly nine months and three days later-

The Elevator door dinged and Gibbs and Tony stepped out of the elevator to a huge banner that said, "Welcome back!" on it and balloons everywhere. There was cake and presents on each one of their desks.

Gibbs and Tony both smiled at the greeting they received. Gibbs put his hand on Tony's back and watched him shake hands with people as he maneuvered on his two arm crutches back to his desk.

His legs took the longest to heal and they were still not as strong as they needed to be so he was forced to walk with the aid of crutches that fit over his arms. Obviously not ready for the field but more than ready to ride a desk for a while.

Everyone was so glad to see both men back at their desk. The party around them did not faze Gibbs and Tony. They were in the middle of a wordless conversation. Gibbs shot Tony a look that asked, "Do you want me to make everyone leave? Are you okay with this?"

Tony shot a look that gave Gibbs the answer, "It is overwhelming but don't deny them the party. They were all affected too." Tony straightened some mail on his desk and then looked back at Gibbs with a look that said, "I love you Dad."

Gibbs smiled a smile back that let Tony know he was loved right back in return. Then Abby came running into the bull pin carrying several sausage and pepper pizzas and Palmer was pushing a cart half filled with Caf Pows and black coffee. She ran up to the second landing on the stairs with her caf pow in her hand.

She whistled, "People, people, we are gathered here today to welcome back two of our bravest back into our midst. Gibbs and Tony, we all love you both and I can speak for everyone here when I say WELCOME HOME."

Gibbs stood up and said, "Thank you all so much for this welcome. We are glad to be back been a long road but we made it thanks to our family. We aren't blood related but we are a family none the less, but as your boss I have to say, Back to work people there are bad guys that need caught."

Gibbs sat back at his desk and smiled at the sight of Tony poking fun at McGee and Abby while couldn't Ziva help getting involved egging them on. He sighed a contented smile and thought all my kids are finally back safe and sound.

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