Night Time Rituals
Tony: 2
Tim: 5
"Goo!" Tony cooed as he threw the bottle across the room, nailing Tim directly in the head.
"DAD!" Tim shouted as he rubbed the spot on his head.
"What Tim?" Gibbs asked as he came into the kitchen, pinching the bridge of his nose at the mess littering the kitchen table and floor.
Tim pouted as he pointed to the slight bump on his forehead "Tony threw his bottle at me!" Tim whined as he slid off his chair and stood in front of his father's feet.
"Well, what did you do to make him angry?" Gibbs asked with a hint of a smile on his face.
Tim shook his head rapidly, long blonde locks flying everywhere "I didn't do nothin'! I swear it, daddy!" Tim said innocently.
Gibbs shook his head and lifted Tim up into his arms, kissing his forehead lightly "It's almost bedtime, why don't you go on up and get ready?" Gibbs asked softly.
Tim nodded and kissed his dad on the cheek "K Daddy, but don't let Tony get away with hittin' me!" Tim warned as he slid out of his father's grasp and bolted up the stairs.
Gibbs quietly walked over to the half-asleep Tony in his highchair and chuckled "Tone, you're falling asleep in your dinner bud." Gibbs said softly as he placed his hand against Tony's forehead and lifted his head up slowly.
Tony swatted at Gibbs' hand tiredly and yawned "Goo?" Tony asked as he looked around with wide eyes.
"Bath time bud." Gibbs said as he lifted the toddler up and adjusted him on his hip.
"Momma?" Tony asked as he pointed towards the front door.
Gibbs shook his head and kissed Tony's chubby cheek, "Nope, not tonight buddy, tomorrow night." Gibbs said as he carried the toddler towards the stairs, shutting off the lights as he went – Cleaning the house would have to wait until tomorrow morning.
Tony squeaked as he was set in the warm bath water, splashing bubbly water around the tub and throwing his rubber ball against the wall of the shower.
"Having fun?" Gibbs asked as he tried washing the dinner build-up off Tony's cheeks and chest.
Tony nodded enthusiastically as he tossed the ball against the shower wall again, then giggled as the ball hit Gibbs in the back of the head.
"Alright you, enough play time. I need to get you cleaned up and into bed." Gibbs said, slightly irritated as he pulled all the bath toys out of the tub.
"Nooo!" Tony squealed as he tried diving over the tub wall to retrieve his toys. Gibbs sighed as he just plopped Tony back into the tub and returned to washing his boy, protest and all.
Gibbs carried a now very tired toddler towards the nursery, sighing as he looked in at Tim who was lying in his bed across the hall, a flashlight in his hand and a book opened on his lap 'I'll be in there in ten minutes Tim, better hurry up with that chapter." Gibbs warned with a smile on his face as he walked into the nursery.
"Got it, dad!" Tim called from his bedroom absentmindedly.
Gibbs shook his head as he laid Tony down and brushed his finger across the toddler's cheek "So, how come you were throwing your bottle at your brother?" Gibbs asked as he softly ran circles across Tony's stomach.
Tony giggled as he grabbed Gibbs' hand, gently tugging at it and pulling it up over his head and releasing it "Goo be mean, say he gonna take my din-din!" Tony replied as he rolled over onto his back, then stood up, grasping onto the bed rail as he stared up into the icy-blue eyes of his father.
Gibbs sighed as he brushed his fingers through his son's reddish-brown hair gently, "Goo won't take your din-din, Tones, I promise." Gibbs said softly as he laid Tony back down in the bed and pressed play on the CD player.
A melodic classical lullaby filled the room as Gibbs set his hand down onto Tony's back and began the rhythmic patterned backrub that easily puts Tony to sleep and within five minutes, Tony was out cold.
Gibbs smiled as he quietly walked out of the room and across the hall to Tim's room, "Alright Tiny Tim, lights out." Gibbs said, sitting on the edge of his oldest son's bed.
Tim sighed as he slid his bookmark into his book, setting both his flashlight and book onto the nightstand, "So, how much trouble am I in?" Tim asked as he snuggled down into his bed.
Gibbs shook his head as he pulled the blanket up to his oldest son's chin, tucking him into the bed "No trouble, I just need you to stop teasing your little brother, Tim. He doesn't understand that you're only joking with him. So go easy on him, huh?" Gibbs asked, chucking Tim lightly underneath the chin.
Tim nodded and smiled lightly "Got it dad, no more teasing Tony." Tim said as he turned onto his side, snuggling further into the bed.
"Atta-boy, Tim." Gibbs said as he leaned over, kissing his son on the side of the head, "Love ya, kid." Gibbs said as he stood up, turning the bedside lamp off.
"Love you too, dad." Tim said as Gibbs left the bedroom and headed into his own room at the end of the hall.
It had only been three hours since Gibbs had fallen asleep, and the gut-wrenching scream that resounded from his youngest son's bedroom had Gibbs slipping and sliding on socked feet into the bedroom "Tony, Tony, Tony! It's okay buddy!" Gibbs said as he plucked his sobbing child up out of his crib, gently rocking him back and forth against his chest.
Tim grumbled as he came into the room and swiped at his eyes tiredly "Another nigh' mare?" Tim asked tiredly, slumping against his father's leg.
"Yeah bud. Go on, try and go back to sleep while I settle your brother back down." Gibbs said softly, setting his hand on the back of Tim's head, lighting pushing him back towards his bedroom, while still rocking Tony from side to side, Tim sighed as he walked back into his room and shut the door behind him.
Gibbs chuckled as he moved to sit down in the rocking chair, running a soothing hand up and down his youngest son's back and head, humming quietly.
Tony had finally settled down, and was now curled up into Gibbs' chest, in the tightest ball his body could form, "Tone, buddy, are you ready to talk to daddy yet?" Gibbs asked softly, continuing to soothe his son.
Tony nodded his head and sniffled "Momma not comin' home." Tony whispered, clutching onto Gibbs' shirt tightly.
"Why do you say that buddy?" Gibbs asked softly, biting his bottom lip back as he looked down at the anguished poster his son was in.
"Her told me so." Tony said, his bottom lip beginning to wobble again.
Gibbs sighed as he brushed his hand up and down Tony's back lightly "You want to call momma?" Gibbs asked softly. Tony noddle pathetically as he snuggled into his father's chest further "Alright…" Gibbs said as he hoisted himself up and began walking through the house and downstairs to the phone.
Gibbs spotted the two officers coming up the front porch as he stepped off the bottom step "Crap… Tony, go back upstairs buddy… I'll be right there." Gibbs said quickly, setting his son down on the bottom step.
Tony fumbled up the stairs quickly, stopping at the top steps to stare down at his father who was now talking to the police officers on the other side of the door.