A First Family Doubt

Tony and Gibbs had arrived back at Gibbs house. Tony was in his room putting all his clothes away. "Bring down your dirty clothes and start the washing," Gibbs said. That can be one of your first tasks while you're grounded." Tony groaned. He hated washing, he usually took his clothes to the laundry where the woman usually washed and ironed all his things for him.

"Do I have to?" Tony whined. "You know now that we're home and I get that you were mad at me for running away, you could just forget about me being grounded. After all it's a punishment for a child not an adult. I can still do some chores around here but I could go out at night." Tony hoped this argument would work.

"Okay," Gibbs said sitting down. Tony looked at him suspiciously, he'd given in far too easily. "Let's get this over with then. Over my knee."

"What?" Tony didn't know what to do. "I didn't mean you .... I..."

"What did you think Tony? That I would let you get away with it and not punish you another way. This is your choice. If you don't want to be grounded then I think a spanking each night instead."

"No!" Tony was horrified. "You can't."

"I don't want to." Gibbs looked up at him. "Which is it then son?"

"Grounded."

"Good choice." Gibbs was so glad, there was no way he could have carried out that punishment. "Now you get the washing started and I'll work on a list of chores for when we're not working."

Tony muttered under his breath the whole time. He watched Gibbs out of the corner of his eye. The list was long.

When Tony was finished Gibbs asked him to sit at the table. "Here are some chores for you. I think you should do the washing and ironing, the cooking and cleaning up and at the weekend you can take care of the garden."

"What did your last slave die of?" Tony muttered.

"Answering back," Gibbs answered with a smile. "None of these tasks are that difficult. You cook when you come here anyway and you must have had to do your own washing and ironing." He looked at the young man's face. "Tony?"

"I get the woman at the laundry to do it," he admitted. "I've always been able to find someone to do it for me, even at college." Gibbs could imagine all the young girls just desperate to help him out.

"Well now you're going to learn how to do it. Come on." They went into the utility room. Gibbs started to pull the clothes out of the machine and put them in piles telling Tony why they could not wash them together. Then he showed him how to put in the powder and start the machine. "I don't mind you asking if you need help Tony."

"What do you want for dinner?" Tony asked.

"I think we'll order in," Gibbs said. "Make it easy for you tonight."

They had a good meal. Gibbs went down to work on his boat leaving Tony with nothing to do. He looked through Gibbs' collection of magazines but there was nothing he wanted to read. If he could only turn the TV on. He moved across the room but stopped just before pressing the button. Gibbs had very good hearing. "Good choice, son," Gibbs said almost making Tony jump. "Want to help me before it's your bedtime." Tony winced. Made him sound like a little kid. He nodded.

They spent a pleasant hour working on the boat, Gibbs showing him the right tools to use. Gibbs looked at his watch," Shower then bed, Tony. It's 9 o'clock."

"I haven't been this early to bed since I was 9, "Tony protested.

Gibbs knew this was going to be a long 3 weeks if he didn't stop this now. "No more arguing son, bed now." He turned him round delivered a hard swat to his backside which sent him on his way. "You're only making this worse for yourself. Accept what is happening and just do it."

Tony went upstairs. He showered and was in bed before Gibbs came up. "I want the complaining to stop Tony. I am not going to have a fight every night. If you have nothing to do buy some books tomorrow at lunchtime."

Gibbs sat down beside him. "Are you going to tell Ziva and McGee about the adoption?" he asked.

"Not yet." Gibbs was surprised. He'd expected that to be the first thing he would do. "I just want to keep it to myself for a while. Get used to it."

"You are alright about it? It is what you want?" Gibbs asked. He didn't want to push Tony into something he didn't want to do.

"Of course it is. I can't explain why I just do."

"Okay. But if you need to talk to anyone remember I'm here for you and so is Ducky."

"I know. Goodnight dad."

Gibbs ran his fingers through Tony's hair and bent down to kiss him on the forehead. "Goodnight son."

Tony was right about one thing, he couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned, even thinking about getting up at one moment but the sting from the swat earlier kept him in bed. He went over everything that had happened to him. He couldn't quite believe that Gibbs wanted to adopt him. After all, his real father hadn't wanted him. It puzzled Tony. He began to think about things that had happened in his childhood. He'd always tried to do his best but it had never been good enough. At school if he didn't get an A he didn't mention it. He'd had too many back handers from all the times he'd got a B. His father never checked with the school and by the end of the year Tony always had a good grade.

The dinner parties had been the worst. He was expected to attend and be on his best behaviour. His father liked to show off his handsome and clever son to all his business associates. No doubt hoping one had a daughter he could marry him to when he was older. His mother's death had been when everything really went wrong. He knew his father put up with him but after she died he blamed Tony for everything. He still had marks on his back from the beatings his father had given him. Once he'd even had the courage to tell one of his teachers. She'd told the principal who had called him into his office. He'd called him an ungrateful brat, telling lies about his father like that. And when he got home! He didn't even like to think about that. Two weeks later he'd been enrolled in a military academy, once the cuts and bruising had faded. His father had never contacted him the whole time he was there.

Tony heard the light go off downstairs and closed his eyes. He heard his door open. Gibbs was checking on him. It felt comforting. The last person to do that was his nanny who'd looked after him until he was 6. He felt a hand run through his hair. "Not able to sleep?" Gibbs asked. He should have known he couldn't fool him.

"No."

"You can read in bed tomorrow night," Gibbs said. "Make sure you get some good books tomorrow."

"I have some at my apartment that Ducky gave me. Can I get them?"

"Yes. What are they?"

"The Saint written by Leslie Charteris. He gave me the whole set at Christmas as an extra present. I have only read one so far."

"If they're good I may try one myself. Now off to sleep, it's nearly one."

Tony closed his eyes and this time he managed to sleep.

TBC