The second of Gibbs' Fatherhood.
This is the prequel to The birth/day/death of Tony DiNozzo. This will be titled as The second/minute/hour of Gibbs.
It had been just them, since the day of their marriage.
Just the two of them, and he didn't need to be a rocket scientist to know that Shannon wanted more.
He had his moments when he wanted to remind her that she married a Marine; remind her that there might be a time when he wouldn't come home. But despite those unspoken words, Shannon still loved him enough to go through the heartache of monthly periods, doctor appointments and a baby's room that still stood, untouched.
The day he had enough of putting his wife second, after years of her putting him first, he felt hope that now things would change. She made him believe that this wasn't a change for the worse; it was a step towards their future with children; peaceful and happy, sun-filled days.
"Jethro," her sweet voice brought him away from his boat. As he turned to look at her he saw a flash of the way she looked back when he first met her. "It's time," she told him. He nodded, numbly, as his hands followed orders from his mind he didn't even known it was sending. The tools were put away and he was standing in the kitchen, watching as Shannon worried her lip.
The doctors had told them it would be hard; not impossible, they had said. Shannon hadn't let it get to her, and though he wanted to shake her sometimes, Gibbs had gone along with her and agreed that things would happen how they were meant to.
"Jethro, just because we're doing this doesn't mean we can't... you know, later on, try again," Shannon looked so small and innocent, that even if Gibbs did have that one bone to tell her 'no', it was broken, at that very second.
"It will be fine. You'll do fine," Gibbs assured causing Shannon to beam at him, and she relaxed, which only caused Gibbs to feel the pride swell up in his chest, knowing this was his family.
"I hope he likes us. He's older... They said it might be easier for us to have a baby or toddler but... Jethro," Shannon rattled off, but Gibbs already knew what needed to be said, and he was okay with it. Rushing to her side, he held her the way she needed to.
Three weeks ago, she had become a mother to a boy they had met only twice, and Gibbs knew already that his wife would make the best mother in the world.
"He will like us, won't he, Jethro?" Shannon sounded so small in his arms that he knew he would agree with her just to make the anxiety leave her completely.
"He will love you," Gibbs offered, instead, because three weeks ago, even though his wife had become a mother to an orphaned boy, he had yet to feel that he was worthy of being a father.
The door bell made his stomach churn but Gibbs knew how to hide that and with a smile he ushered his wife towards the door and the boy who depend on them.
The second Shannon saw the boy on the other side of the door she became a different woman. Instead of the small, self doubting woman was the mother who knew she would do anything for the child before her.
"Anthony, say hello to Mr and Mrs Gibbs," the social worker offered, beaming at the dark-haired boy who refused to lift his head.
"Hello Ma'am; Sir," the automatic response made Gibbs stiffen, but Shannon simply brushed it aside.
"Anthony, you know you can call me Shannon, if you like," Shannon declared as she bent down to be level with the boy who only moved his head a fraction.
"Okay, Ma'am," Gibbs stiffened once more, before glancing towards the worker who tilted her head.
"Son, I think we're past the Ma'am and Sirs... You're going to be living with us now," Gibbs offered, taken back by how young...yet old the boy looked when he snapped his green eyes to him.
Whatever this boy had been through, hadn't made him stronger in a good way; it had robbed him of that need to be a child.
"Don't worry, Anthony. You can call us whatever you like, when you feel ready," Shannon told him, nicking Gibbs' knee with her elbow.
"Shall we get you settled in, Anthony?" the worker questioned, as Shannon stood and allowed the pair into the new family home of Gibbs.
Gibbs accepted the scolding look his wife sent him because he treated the boy like one of his Marines. But it wasn't as if the second he saw the boy, he'd felt fatherhood flow over him.
Three weeks later
For all that he felt should go wrong, on the contrary, everything had gone right. Tony had settled in and proved to Gibbs and Shannon how respectful, clean and quiet he could be. But, though Shannon loved the boy, Gibbs knew that these traits hadn't been bred into the boy. When Gibbs had shown Tony to his room on the first night, he saw the fading bruises on his back, and knew, in that second, that Tony hadn't been left by his parents; but rather ripped away and it made anger swell in his chest.
He had sworn to himself that he wouldn't let Shannon know; not because he was worried that he would have a flawed child, but because he knew his wife would make things worse for Tony, rather then making them better. When Tony didn't hear anything of it from Shannon, Gibbs knew, from the boy's look to him, that he had done the right thing.
"Mr. Gibbs," the small voice caused Gibbs to turn and stare at the young boy who refused to look him in the eye. Shannon had been a natural with Tony who lapped up the attention she showered on him. The action made Gibbs understand that it wasn't a mother issue that had torn Tony away from his family.
"What can I help you with, son?" Gibbs questioned watching closely as the boy jerked his head as though he had heard something that hadn't been shown to him.
"Shannon said you might need help," Tony muttered. Gibbs nodded, before he stood away from the boat and studied it as a whole.
"Do you know anything about boats, son?" Gibbs asked. Tony shook his head and shuffled his feet, causing Gibbs to look him over.
"No, sir," Tony quickly answered and Gibbs saw it in the hunched shoulders.
Tony wasn't used to ever pleasing anyone, no matter how hard he probably tried.
"Well that's a good thing, then. I don't want to have to retrain you," Gibbs admitted. Tony looked up and shot Gibbs a questioning look. "You start at the beginning; makes it easier," Gibbs explained. Tony nodded, before looking away from him towards the boat.
"Did you build this yourself, sir?" Tony questioned as Gibbs nodded smiling at his creation.
"Yeah, I did. Come over here, son," Gibbs called, ignoring the fearful look in Tony's face and the quick ducking of his head. "It makes it easier to handle a boat if you know how each part was put together," he stated as though Tony wasn't a little boy so scared to mess up. "Ya see, I know the date I put each part together," Gibbs carried on, as he began to sand down a small part of wood that had irked him since he put it together.
"Is it hard sir" Tony questioned taking that small step forward, a small step but it made Gibbs smile knowing it was process.
"No, just takes a long time but if you really believe in something it doesn't matter how long it takes" Gibbs admitted as Tony took another step forward only to stop.
"How long have you been working on this one sir" Tony questioned as Gibbs thought before carrying on working.
"Four months" Gibbs admitted as Tony nodded in silence watching as Gibbs worked on his boat.
The seconds ticked by with Gibbs sanding and Tony watching.
"Will you teach your own child how to do this sir?" Tony asked flinching when Gibbs stopped and frowned.
"Probably. But there might be a chance Shannon and I won't have children," Gibbs admitted looking to the boy who shuffled his feet.
"Sorry, sir," Tony muttered. Gibbs sighed and dropped the piece of sand paper. He turned towards the boy, who flinched once more.
"If we do have a child, what would you like?" Gibbs asked. Tony shot his head and stared with wide eyes.
"It's okay, sir. I know that once you have your own child, I'll go to someone else," Tony declared, only to lower his head and try to make himself smaller.
"Do you know what adoption means Tony?" Gibbs asked as the boy nodded mutely while Gibbs walked over to him and crouched down. "When you adopt a child, you're signing legal papers that mean you will care for them and make sure nothing ever happens to them," Gibbs explained, as Tony nodded rapidly, causing Gibbs to wonder if he would nod his head clear off his shoulders. "You know what Tony?" Gibbs started as he stood and walked over to his work horses, which he dragged back with him. He motioned with his head for Tony to sit on one when Tony looked at him, before he sat on one, himself.
Gibbs waited for Tony to climb up and settle himself, collecting his thoughts when the boy ducked his head once more.
"I think me and you... we're like a boat," Gibbs stated. Tony lifted his head slightly, but never looked at Gibbs. "We're starting at the beginning... I don't know how to be a father, and I'm guessing you know even less what a father should be." Tony shrugged a little, letting his fingers tug at each other. "Things will get screwed up, and we'll have to take some sand paper to it; might even have to redraw the plan a few times. But, if we believe in this, we'll make it work," he told the boy, watching with baited breath as Tony sat in silence.
The seconds ticked by and Gibbs wondered if he had gone over the boy's head, or if the damage done was already too much.
"What if it doesn't float?" Tony questioned in a tiny voice that made Gibbs smile.
"All my boats have floated. I don't doubt this one will as well," Gibbs assured him.
Tony looked up at him, and for the first time since he arrived, he looked at him like he was a human being who wasn't meant to be feared. "Can I help with that one?" Tony asked.
Gibbs stood and smiled at the boy knowing that it would be rough but they would do it. "Do as I tell you and you'll get it in no time," Gibbs declared.
Tony jumped off the horse and nodded firmly looking like a little Marine ready to follow orders. "Okay, boss," Tony said with a small smile, causing Gibbs to place a hand gently on his shoulder, for only a second, as the boy flinched.
As the pair worked together on the boat, Gibbs knew the very second it all changed.
He knew the second he had entered fatherhood, and he couldn't be happier.
This has been edited by the wonderful XenaScully. Thank you once more :)