Disclaimer: I don't own them and intend no copywrite infringement. I'll bring them back when I'm done, honest.
"Boss…Boss…psst…GIBBS
"Boss…Boss…psst…GIBBS!"
"Jeez Tony, what?"
"Look at this!"
"Look at what?"
"This!"
Gibbs sighed in exasperation and looked up from the report he was trying to finish, to his senior field agent who was at that moment trying desperately to stop hopping around in excitement. Gibbs peered at the newspaper being trust at him.
"What exactly am I looking at?"
Tony rolled his eyes and pointed to the advert covering half the page.
"It's an advert for a carnival. Why do I need to see this?"
"Aw come on Boss, it's a carnival!"
"No, it's a newspaper. Have you got any actual work to do or would you like me to find you some?"
Tony stopped bouncing and looked crestfallen. He considered pushing the point but then was assaulted by a flashback of the last time Gibbs found him something to do, so he returned to his desk, sulkily balled up the page with the advert on and threw it at McGee.
"Hey!"
"DiNozzo…"
"Sorry Boss." That earned him a pointed glare. "Sorry McGeek"
Three blissful minutes of peace and quiet followed before being rudely disrupted by the shrill ring of Gibbs' phone.
"Grab your gear, we're going to Norfolk."
Two days later the team trudged into the office. Ziva threw her bag behind the desk and collapsed into her chair.
"Two days. It took us two days to work out it was a suicide. Gah."
"Well some people like to make us earn our pay check Zee-va"
"Alright, reports on my desk then go home and get some rest."
Gibbs paused in front of Tony's desk and pitched his voice for his ears only.
"I'm picking you up at 9.30 in the morning, be ready. Dress down."
"Um, OK?"
Tony was puzzled but chose not to question his boss, he'd learned from experience it was safer not to.
9.25am the next morning found Tony standing outside his apartment building dressed in jeans and a hooded sweater. He tried not to fidget as Gibbs pulled up a couple of minutes later.
"Jump in DiNozzo"
"Morning Boss"
He took the coffee handed to him and grabbed the close-your-eyes-and-pray handle as Gibbs peeled away and rejoined the flow of traffic.
"So where we going Boss?"
Tony risked a question once his stomach had returned to its normal position.
"You'll see."
He shifted in his seat to face Gibbs.
"Seriously, I don't like surprises."
"I know. You'll like this one."
"If you say so."
"I do."
After 30 minutes Tony began to see temporary road signs whiz past. On closer inspection (or as close as was possible at the speed they were travelling) Tony could see they were advertising the carnival he saw in the paper earlier that week.
"Hey Boss, we going to the carnival?"
"What do you think DiNozzo?"
Gibbs' tone of voice gave no indication of how Tony was expected to reply so he said nothing. Out of the corner of his eye Gibbs saw Tony deflate and slouch down in his seat.
A few minutes later Gibbs pulled into a car park. It was testament to the fact that Tony was deep in thought as he didn't react to their surroundings.
"We're here Tony."
"Huh? Where?"
Tony blinked as he registered what he could see.
"The carnival? You brought me to the carnival?" he couldn't believe his eyes. "What's the catch?"
"No catch. Come on."
They exited the car and made their way over to the entrance. Gibbs' phone rang.
"Gibbs…yeah we are…see you there."
"We caught a case?"
"Nope. This way."
Tony was used to Gibbs being Mr Mysterious, especially on a case, but his behaviour today was making Tony uneasy. His boss simply wasn't acting, well, right. He mutely followed Gibbs as he threaded his way through the crowds, his suspicions not yet allowing him to relax and enjoy himself. He suddenly found himself unable to breathe and it took him a moment to figure out why.
"Abs…need to breathe."
"Oh sorry. Hi Tony."
"What are you doing here?"
Now Tony was really confused.
"Did Gibbs not tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"Gibbs!"
Abby turned and punched an unsuspecting Gibbs on the arm.
"Ow! Hey what was that for?"
"You didn't tell him!"
"Tell me what?"
Tony repeated his plea, this time frustration making him louder.
"Ah Jethro there you are. I was just saying to Timothy and Ziva that it was about time the pair of you got here."
Tony spun on his heel and came face to face with Ducky.
"OK, what the hell is going on?"
"Hello Jethro, Ducky."
"Hey Jen."
Abby bounced up and down.
"Yay everybody's here! Happy Birthday Tony!"
Tony stood gaping as the whole team, his family, surrounded him engulfing him with hugs.
"I, erm…wow" was just about all Tony could manage.
"C'mon DiNozzo, lets get this over with."
Gibbs' light-hearted tone belittled the seemingly uncaring words as he took Tony's elbow, gently steering him toward the carnival.
Three hours later, Tony and Abby collapsed in two sticky and slightly green-looking heaps either side of Gibbs, who had taken refuge sat beneath a tree. Ziva and McGee were tossing a Frisbee back and forth in a patch of open space in front of the tree. Ducky was on standby in case Ziva forgot she wasn't hurling a deadly weapon and accidentally decapitated her team-mate.
"Have fun?" Gibbs asked, glancing from one to the other.
"We rode the Vomit Comit three times, the Wheel of Torment twice and went on the Bumper Cars, swing boat thingy and the spinny teacups…"
"Abs don't forget the burger, candy floss and pretzels we ate on the way round."
"Oh yeah! And I got my CafPow too!"
"If either of you puke on me you can't even begin to imagine the torment I will put you through…"
"Tony already puked!"
"Did not."
"Did too, right after the second time on the Vomit Comit."
"I thought you went on that three times?"
"We did!" Tony and Abby chorused.
"So you went on it again after it made you sick?"
Tony and Abby nodded. Gibbs rolled his eyes; he never would understand those two.
Jen reappeared carrying two cups of coffee and handed one to Gibbs. Tony made a move to stand up, but Jen waved him to stay where he was and instead sat beside Abby.
"So Director, having fun?" Abby asked.
"Actually I am. It's nice to get into the fresh air without having to work."
"Shh, don't say that…you'll curse us!"
Just then there was a yelp, followed by a sinister sounding giggle. Abby shot an accusing look at the Director. Ziva had apparently hurled the Frisbee with a little too much force and not quite enough accuracy, striking McGee in the shin. He hopped his way over to the group under the tree, followed by a still snickering Ziva and Ducky in full storytelling mode, mid-way through an account of his tempestuous meeting with an Amazonian tribe.
"What's wrong Elflord? Actual battle injuries more painful than the virtual version?"
"Shut up Tony." McGee glared at his smirking partner.
"Aww my poor baby, come sit here and let Abby kiss it all better."
"Not on my watch you won't."
"Ah Jethro leave them be, it's their day off." Jenny gentle scolded.
"Fine whatever, but don't come crying to me when you get cooties."
Jen moved over and made room for Tim to sit beside Abby, allowing her to impart her own special kind of sympathy to her injured friend.
As the afternoon wore on towards the evening conversation moved from Amazonian tribes and McGee's 'life threatening injury', to reminiscing about past events. Jenny and Ziva recounted some of their unclassified adventures around the Middle East, Ducky told some tales everybody actually listened to, and Abby and McGee started a game of verbal tag and word association which had everybody laughing as it got increasingly ridiculous and risqué. Gradually though, the temperature began to drop and people began to make noises about being hungry.
"Come on, let's move this party elsewhere."
Gibbs extricated himself from Tony, who had wound up leaning almost fully against his side, and stood, pulling Tony to his feet as he did so. Everybody got up and gathered their belongings before making their way back to the car park.
"Convoy back to Gibbs' house!" Abby yelled as everyone piled into various vehicles.
After making a brief pit stop to collect pizza and beer, and to say good night to Ducky, who had to get back for his mother, they piled into Gibbs' kitchen and proceeded to make short work of the food. Seemingly out of nowhere, Abby produced a birthday cake and candles, and even Gibbs was persuaded to sing along with 'Happy Birthday'.
"Make a wish Tony." McGee said before Tony could blow out the candles.
Tony thought for a moment, then a smile crept across his face and he blew out the candles.
"What did you wish for?"
"If he told you Abs, it wouldn't come true."
"No, I'll tell you…its kinda come true already…"
Tony looked suddenly shy, an unusual expression on him, and looked fondly around the room.
"I wished for the same thing I have every year since I was a kid…a perfect birthday with a family who love me…"
"Aww Tony…"
For the second time that day he was treated to one of Abby's bone-crushing hugs. Everyone followed suit. Lastly Gibbs stepped forward and pulled Tony into an uncharacteristically tender embrace, whispering in his ear,
"Happy Birthday son."
Tony hid his face in the shoulder of the man who had been more of a father to him than the man who gave him life, hiding so no-one would see his tears.