AUTHOR'S NOTE - My muse kindly visited me at midnight tonight, so I deliver you this. I've actually been meaning to write this story ever since I saw Life Before His Eyes, but I never actually got around to do it. Until now. I know it might be a bit OOC, but oh well. I will take the blame.

SPOLIERS - Life Before His Eyes.

OF FATHERS AND SONS

The phone rang three times before it was answered.

"Yes?"

"Dad."

"Leroy? Is that you?"

"Yeah, Dad. It's me," – Gibbs said, small smile on his face. It's been a while since he talked to his father.

"Everything alright?" – Jackson asked after a moment of silence.

"Got shot today."

Gibbs wondered if he imagined the slight hitch in his father's voice, before the older Gibbs spoke again.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, Dad, I'm fine. Bullet hit my shoulder. Nothing serious."

There was silence again before Gibbs closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

"I, uh, I saw Mom."

"You saw –"

This time he was sure there was a hitch in Jackson's voice as it trailed off. He sat down heavily in the chair next to him and ran a hand over his eyes. He felt an overwhelming, out of character need to talk to someone about what happened earlier in the day. And he though no one deserved it more than Jackson.

"Yeah."

"Son, –"

"I'm sorry," – he blurted out before Jackson could get more than a word in; before he lost the nerve to do what he called him for. "I'm sorry for the, uh, for the way I behaved after she," – he felt his throat suddenly close up. "After she died. Sorry for the things I said to you."

Jackson sniffed softly before speaking.

"Your mother was a great woman."

"She was," – Gibbs smiled. "She really was."

"Are you sure you're okay, Leroy?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Jack – dad – mind if I come over this weekend?"

"I'd like nothing more, son."

He could feel the smile in Jackson's voice, and it made him smile in return.

"I'll see you in a few days, dad."

"See you, son."

Gibbs knew they still had some things to settle, some things to talk about, but the progress was made and he could do nothing to stop his smile from widening.

- THE END -