Gibbs was down in his basement he wasn't working on his project he wasn't having a drink he wasn't with any members of his team he wasn't sleeping he wasn't doing anything. He just sat in the chair he built staring into space.
"Boss?" He heard Tony ask.
"Yeah?" Gibbs replied.
"We are worried about you. You called in sick you never call in." Tony told him
"Everything OK?" He asked.
"Everything is fine." Gibbs lied.
"No it's not I know you and I know when you're hurting" Tony argued.
"OK FINE EVERYTHING IS NOT FINE! IN FACT IT MAY NEVR BE FINE AGAIN!" Gibbs yelled.
"Boss what's wrong? Are you sick?" Tony asked with concern in his voice.
"I'm not sick it's well… OH TONY THERE'S A REALLY BAD FIRE IN STILLWATER, I HEARD IT STARTED IN A BUSSINESS AND THE OWNER DIED! AND I CAN'T GET A HOLD OF MY DAD!" Gibbs cried.
"I'm sure everything is fine" Tony said hugging Gibbs. "Look I wish I could stay and console you but, I have to get back to work. I am the team leader for the day after all."
"I understand go" Gibbs said
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"CAMPFIRE!" Tony yelled as he ran into the Bullpen
"Probie go get Abby, Jimmy, and Ducky" Tony ordered "Ziva go get Vance!"
"WOW even the director is coming to your little camp fire must be big news" Ziva said exiting to get Vance
"Oh are you coming out of the closet? Cause if you are Dormeget expressed interest in you but, you didn't hear it from me." McGee teased.
"I'm not coming out of the closet McAfterSchoolSpecial." Tony whined.
McGee exited to get the others he returned a few minutes later.
"To what do we owe this afternoon meeting?" Ducky asked.
"I have a job that is going to require everybody's help." Tony stated.
"No cases were called in as far as I know." Vance said.
"It's not a case." Tony replied
"Then what is it?" Jimmy asked.
"I went to see Gibbs on my lunch break today…" Tony began
"Is he OK?" Abby interrupted.
"Yes and no he's fine however there is a fire in Stillwater all he knows is a business owner is dead and he can't get a hold of Jackson." Tony explained
Everybody gasped
"So here's what we're going to do. McGeek Abby you're going to track down Jackson. Ducky you're going to offer moral support. Vance you're going to use your connections to get information on the fire. Ziva you are to going to make up a reason to get us into Gibbs's house tonight. Palmer you are the food and beer man. Me I'm going to Stillwater use my street smarts Vance, McGee, Abby call me as soon as you find anything out." Tony said.
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Tony drove to Stillwater he was about five miles away when he got a call from Abby since he was driving he let it go to voice mail.
"He Tony listen me and McGee tracked Jackson to the store as far as we know he is alive and Vance said they seem to be getting the fire under control but, it's still a threat." She said.
Tony drove up to where the town was blocked off.
"SIR I'm sorry but, you can't go into town." A firefighter said.
"Yeah here's the deal don't call me sir and Federal Agent." Tony said flashing his badge.
"I'm sorry but…" The firefighter said cut off by Tony speeding through the barrier.
Tony drove through the thick until he saw the general store it was in flames causing Tony's heart to stop. He flung open his door and ran up to the store he rammed himself through the door and looked frantically for Jackson. He found him huddled in the back with holding two boys about eight close to him.
"Jackson Gibbs?" Tony asked.
"Yes Tony DiNozzo right?" Jackson asked.
"Yes sir" Tony replied.
"Take them first" Jackson said shoving the boys in Tony's arms.
Tony ran out of the store, put the boys in his car and sped off to the edge of town where he gave the boys to the firemen before rushing back to the store. He ran back in and found Jackson who was losing consciousness. Tony rushed him out of town too. He sat with Jackson while he was checked out and waited while he got oxygen as soon as Jackson was cleared Tony helped him to the car and they headed to D.C..
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Gibbs had left his basement he was sitting at his table waiting for some coffee to brew. He wished he had a family to wait with him. If Shannon were alive she'd be holding his hand telling him everything would be fine and Kelly would be calling as much as possible asking for updates. Maybe she would be close by and have a husband and baby that she would bring over and the family would sit and wait for news. He was going through this alone and there was a very real possibility he had lost the last of his family.
He was lost in his thoughts when Ducky walked in.
"Jethro" Ducky greeted him.
"Hey Duck" Gibbs replied.
"I heard what was going on any news?" Ducky asked.
"No Duck and I'm really scared I mean he is all I have left." Gibbs told him.
"I am sure he is fine Jethro he probably just can't call you" Ducky said.
Just then Gibbs's phone rang.
"Maybe that's him" Ducky said.
"No its Ziva" Gibbs said
"What can I do for you Ziver?" Gibbs asked
"Gibbs I need help with a personal problem can I come over to your house say six o'clock?" Ziva asked.
"Uh I guess." Gibbs replied
"Thanks see you then" Ziva said.
"You're welcome goodbye Ziver" Gibbs said.
"Bye Gibbs thanks again" Ziva said.
Around six that evening Gibbs and Ducky were drinking Bourbon down in Gibbs's basement when the doorbell rang.
Gibbs opened the door and saw everybody but Tony and Jimmy at the door.
"I thought you said it was a personal problem" Gibbs said.
"It is my boss needs our help" Ziva said.
"OH GIBBS HE'LL BE FINE!" Abby yelled.
"Tony told us what's going on." Tim explained "Vance isn't here he decided to be with his family".
"Where are Palmer and Tony?" Gibbs asked.
"Mr. Palmer is out with Breena and I am not sure where Anthony went" Ducky said.
Gibbs led everybody into the house ten minutes later Jimmy walked in carrying two pizzas' and a case of beer.
About ten o'clock everybody was still over when somebody knocked at the door. Gibbs went and answered it. Tony was standing there.
"He DiNozzo where were you?" Gibbs greeted.
"Oh I was uh…" Tony said struggling to find words.
Just then Jackson walked up. Gibbs looked up and saw his dad the two immediately embraced.
"Jackson!" Everybody cried.
"The store and house are gone Jethro" Jackson said.
"Oh Dad" Gibbs replied
"I lost a lot of memories but, Tony saved my life and the lives of two boys who were in the store." Jackson said.
"You went into the fire?" Gibbs asked.
"Yes" Tony replied.
"Ducky can you check Tony's lungs?" Gibbs asked.
"Sure" Ducky replied.
Ducky checked Tony's breathing.
"Oh dear he seems a little tight though he should be fine" Ducky said "call me if he needs to go to the hospital."
Everybody stayed over at Gibbs's house that night,
Jackson was in the guestroom, Ducky was on Gibbs's air mattress, Jimmy, Abby, McGee and Ziva were on the floor, Gibbs was in the basement, and Tony was given the couch.
Everybody but, Jackson and Gibbs had gone to bed.
"I'm sorry the house you grew up in is gone" Jackson said.
"It's OK I'm just glad you're OK. Sorry you lost all your stuff and the store."
"All I'll really miss are the pictures. I have a lot of memories in those places I can keep though." Jackson said.
"So where are you going to go?" Gibbs asked.
"I don't know there's a hotel on the edge of town that is still standing." Jackson told him.
"You're not staying in a hotel." Gibbs argued.
"You can stay with me until the house is rebuilt and if the store is rebuilt first you can stay in the hotel." He added.
"Thanks but, I don't think I'm going back to the store. I'm thinking of retiring." Jackson told him.
"Then you are moving in with me." Gibbs said.
"I think I would like that." Jackson said.
Gibbs walked over to Tony on the couch and checked Tony's breathing.
"Is he OK?" Jackson asked.
"Yeah Ducky just told me to check him every so often and wake him up if he needs help." Gibbs explained.
"Good cause I'd feel bad if anything happened to him because he saved me." Jackson said "I mean he could have just taken the boys and left me."
"No that's not in Tony's nature Tony will save everybody he can. In fact a few years ago he dove into the Potomac to save me and Maddie Tyler. That friend of Kelly's I'm sure you met her." Gibbs explained.
"He's a good man. You know there calling him the angel of Stillwater he refused to identify himself." Jackson said.
"That's Tony." Gibbs said.
"I think I'm going to bed." Jackson said.
"Goodnight dad." Gibbs said.
Suddenly Tony started violently coughing.
"TONY!" Gibbs yelled as he ran over to his senior field agent.
The excitement awoke everybody else.
"What's going on?" Abby asked.
"Tony we're going to the hospital." Gibbs said.
"I' *cough*m fi *cough*ne b *cough* boss. *cough*." Tony argued.
"You sound like shit." Gibbs said.
"Oh Dear" Ducky said looking at Tony.
"I'm afraid Jethro is right you need medical attention.
Gibbs and Ducky helped Tony to the car. They got in to along with Jackson and Jimmy who were in the back with Tony between them.
McGee, Abby, and Ziva took McGee's car.
They arrived at Bethsaida ten minutes later. Tony was still coughing.
"I'm scared'" Abby said
"He'll be fine." McGee assured her.
Gibbs filled the receptionist in on what Tony had done and they took him back. Dr. Pitt wasn't on call that night but, everybody knew of Tony's condition and got him checked out. A few minutes later a doctor walked out and explained Tony's condition.
"Well he has smoke inhalation." The doctor explained "and should have come in sooner."
"Oh God is he dying?" Gibbs asked.
"No he just wouldn't be having the problems he's having now." The doctor explained "We will keep him for observation for a few hours."
"OK" Gibbs replied.
An hour later everybody is in Tony's room. Tony is on oxygen just to make it easier, Gibbs is sitting in a big chair with Abby sitting on his lap she is lying with her head on his chest just like Kelly used to, Jackson and Ducky are in folding chairs on either side of Gibbs, McGee and Jimmy standing in the corner, and Ziva is sitting on the bed with Tony. It looks crazy with all those people in half a room.
"Timothy, Ziva, Mr. Palmer we need to go we have work in a few hours." Ducky said.
"I'm staying home again tomorrow." Gibbs said.
Gibbs looked around as the team, Ducky and Jimmy left the room. He looked at Tony lying in the hospital bed where he wouldn't be if he hadn't of saved Jackson. He looked at Jackson who was maybe moving to in with him. Last he looked at Abby snuggled up in his arms.
He thought about them.
Ducky was like the older brother he had always wanted they typical polar opposite yet really close friend.
Jimmy was like the geeky nephew was a little afraid of his uncle.
Tony was the son he had always wanted and the big brother Kelly dreamed of.
Tim was the son who Gibbs's buddies would tease him that Gibbs wasn't really his father.
Abby was his little girl who could have been Kelly's twin.
Ziva was the daughter he had adopted that took a while to fit in.
Nobody could say he didn't have a family he had the best family imaginable nobody could replace his girls but, these people made great substitute's.