CHAPTER 2
He had entered the house, ready to find out why Jethro hadn't even started the cars, let alone only scraped snow off only half of one windshield. And he found out why when he walked into the living room to find Jackson and Jethro Gibbs standing there talking.
Tim had no idea what to do. He hadn't planned for Jack to show up early, he hadn't planned for Jack to find out about him and Jethro unless his lover wanted his father to know. "Uh, hello," he waved. "You-You're early."
Jack stared at Tim before looking at Jethro. "Leroy, I think you forgot to tell me something."
He couldn't tell what the man was thinking by looking at him, he was too much like Jethro. Or Jethro was too much like Jack. Either way, Jack was hard to read and he couldn't tell what he was thinking. Was he upset? Was he angry? Was he figuring it out and going to be disgusted?
Tim blushed when Jack looked back at him. Yeah, he figured it out.
"Dad." Jack turned back to Jethro. "Well, Tim and I are together."
"Together?"
"Yes."
Jack looked between them when he settled on Tim and watched him as he walked to Jethro and grabbed his hand. Tim knew his lover and he knew he needed the silent support of this. Jack's eyes stayed on their joined eyes before rising to Jethro's. "How long?"
"…Six years."
Watching the older man's eyes crinkle, he squeezed Jethro's hand when his lover's grip tightened. Jack turned and sat down on the couch with a sigh and gave them a small smirk. "I knew there was something going on between you two when you came to Stillwater for that case."
Blushing at the memory he had of Jethro making love to him in his old bedroom, them kissing each other to silence the other's loud moans, groans, and screams, he squeezed Jethro's hand one more time before letting go and stepping closer to Jack. He held out his hand. "It's great to see you again Jack."
"Likewise, Tim," he smiled.
"I think I'm gonna go take a quick shower and change before we head to work. Oh," he picked up Jack's suitcase, "and I'll take this up to the room." With that he headed upstairs to the bedroom.
"You're not angry?"
"About what exactly? The fact that you found love again? And yes, I can see it." He shook his head. "No. The fact that you found it with a smart, sweet, and loyal young man? Nope. Or maybe that I'm now finding out about this after you've been together six years? Just a little."
Gibbs nodded, a little overwhelmed with how well that went, and grabbed a piece of paper. "Well…"
"Do his parents know?" Jack asked suddenly.
Shaking his head, he said, "No. He's just starting to talk to his dad again and he's not so sure how to bring it up."
"Why not just tell him?"
"They haven't talked in seven years, dad, and Tim's dad used to be a Navy Commander. So, he's not sure where his dad stands on this lifestyle. Not to mention that I'm older, and his boss."
"If you ask me, his father should just be happy his son found someone he could love and be happy with."
Gibbs smiled at his dad's words, a little warm that his dad was so accepting, and didn't stop to lean down and give his old man another hug. "Thanks dad."
"You're welcome Leroy. You happy, son?"
"Yes," he nodded.
Jack smiled and patted his shoulder. "Then that's all I can ask."
He pulled back to straighten up. "Uh, I've got to go get the cars ready."
"Go ahead. I'll be alright on my own."
Nodding, he headed out to start the cars to warm them up and scrape the snow off their windshields. By the time he got back inside, Tim was in the living room, talking to Jack about the television setup.
"You can't imagine how long it took me to finally convince Jethro to agree to the television."
"What did he have before?" Jack asked, smiling at his lover, and Gibbs just stood there watching them for a while.
He had been surprised by how well Tim and his dad hit it off when they had been in Stillwater for a case, but he always put it down to Tim's charm. He had a light and warmness about him, it just called to people. When he was happy, it shined brightly and it was nearly impossible to feel anything down around him. But when he was sad or unhappy, it was like the light dimmed to almost nonexistent and it was nearly impossible to feel any happiness. When he was calm, everyone was calm, when he was flustered…well, everyone just watched amused because he was funny when he was running around flustered.
If Gibbs believed in anything of the supernatural kind, he would have questioned if Tim was some sort of empath. His emotions were that contagious.
"No cable, and not even color." Tim gave an exaggerated shiver and smiled when Jack laughed. "But I finally wore him down and got him to agree to this. Though, he said I was alone on setting it up except when it came to mounting the television. But it wasn't hard and I had it all done by the end of the day and made him watch a movie."
"Well, if you two are finished, we have to go."
"Oh, alright." Tim turned to Jack worriedly. "Are you going to be alright by yourself?"
"I'll be fine," Jack waved off with a smile. "Go to work. Death doesn't take a holiday."
Tim continued to frown before grabbing a piece of paper and pen. "I'm leaving you Jethro and my cell number in case you need anything. Okay?"
"Fine," Jack chuckled. "Now go."
Gibbs finally stepped forward to grab Tim's arm and raise him from the couch and to the door. "He'll be fine. Go. I'll head out in a minute."
"Okay." Tim leaned forward for a small kiss before pulling back. "See you later Jack." Afterwards he left and Gibbs watched him through the living room windows as he walked to his car.
"Is he always such a worrywart?" Jack asked, causing Gibbs to chuckle.
"Sometimes."
He heard Jack shift on the couch before speaking again. "Question, if I'm sleeping in your room, and you're obviously sleeping out here, why is there only one pillow with Tim here?"
Gibbs turned back to his dad once he watched Tim safely drive off. "We weren't expecting to tell you yet, so Tim was going to go sleep at his apartment that he still has."
"Well, let that young man know that now that I know, he will be sleeping here."
"You can count on it. Now, I gotta go. Call me if you need anything, dad."
They weren't that far into the day when Tim got a call from Jack saying that he was stopping by for a visit, and then when he hung up, the elevator opened and Jack walked out.
"Hey Jack," Tim greeted, shaking his head.
"Hello Tim, Ziva, Tony."
"Jack," Tony grinned and shook his hand, Ziva gave a small hug.
"Where's Leroy?"
They all shrugged as they really had no idea where he was. He was off doing something related to the case, or getting coffee. Either way, they knew most likely that he would return and give out information that they were just finding out.
"Well, I brought candy."
Tony sprung out of his chair and went to grab the tin but Ziva's hands were quicker and they were soon fighter over the candy. Jack made his way over to Tim who looked up from his seat at him. "Do they know?" he asked, jerking his head towards the arguing agents.
Amused, he nodded. "Yeah. I mean, it's not really a secret that much, to anyone, but we still don't discuss it or bring it into work. Work is work," he shrugged.
He didn't have a problem with it. Work was work, personal relationships and business didn't belong in the workplace, so they always kept it out. But they also didn't deny anything if anyone asked, not that most had the guts to ask with the fact that Gibbs was one half of the relationship. However, they saw with the few glances they gave each other or the times they gave each other a hug down in the garage before getting into their cars.
They said that Tim kept his apartment so the government wasn't aware, nor Director Vance, but Tim was pretty sure Vance was aware. It was hard not to be. Now, the government on the other hand… There was talk about the repeal of DA/DT, but until it actually happened, Tim was keeping his apartment that had his name on it and not signing anything else to his name that was tied to Gibbs. That wouldn't happen until the repeal, if they actually went through with it.
Jack nodded, pleased, and Tim didn't need him to say that he was relieved. Jack didn't want to slip up and say something in case the team hadn't known, and feel guilty, but now that he knew that they knew, he wouldn't beat himself up if something did slip.
He turned back to Ziva who came back with the tin and handed it over. "These chocolates are delicious."
"Hey dad," Gibbs addressed as he walked into the bullpen, not looking surprised that Jack was there, "stop making my agents fat."
"I love chocolate, I think I'll have another one," Tony said from his desk and rose to get closer to Jack.
Ziva spoke from her desk. "Gibbs, why didn't you tell us your father was coming for the holidays?"
"I didn't think he'd actually show," he admitted and Tim sent him a look which his lover returned before turning his attention back to Tony who was reaching for more candy. "Go ahead, have another one bubblebutt."
Tim smirked in amusement like Ziva, especially when Tony actually stopped reaching for more candy.
"It's my metabolism slowing with age. Nothing a post holiday cleansing won't cure."
"Come on," Jack walked over to Jethro's desk, "it's just some candy for the holidays. Homemade. Best in Stillwater." He held it out for Gibbs to take some and Tim watched as Jethro just looked inside.
"…Ms. Hannigan huh? Been after you ever since mom died."
…Tim flickered his eyes to look at Jack.
"She means well." He paused as if contemplating to say more. "Been cooking for me lately."
Jethro rose from his seat, still staring at the candy as if it was the devil. "She puts together one hell of a care package," he said as he walked around the table. "When people are hurt." And he walked away.
The bullpen was silent before Tim rose from his desk and after brushing Jack's shoulders with a smile which Jack returned, he stopped by Ziva's desk. "Can you take him to see Abby? I'm sure she'll be happy to see him."
After Ziva nodded, he followed where Gibbs went and just barely made it in the elevator before it closed. They rode for a few seconds before Tim flipped the switch. He leaned back against the wall and folded his arms. "You want to tell me what's up?"
Jethro continued to look forward, but Tim waited him out. He didn't observe the man for a year before getting into an on and off relationship with him for six without knowing things. And one was that the best way to get Jethro to talk, when he needed to talk or he was going to confess something, was to just wait him out.
His lover wasn't he most talkative, and barely opened up. It was one of the reasons that led to their first breakup. Jethro just didn't open up. Tim hadn't expected for the man to suddenly start talking and laying out all his feelings and thoughts, but he hadn't expected the man to keep everything to himself, letting it eat at himself if it was something bad, like a gruesome case that they worked on. He hadn't let Tim in.
But things were different after all this time and Jethro trusted Tim to let himself open up. Tim just had to be silent and let him get his thoughts and emotions under control and in order.
Tim's silence and patience was rewarded when Jethro's body released some tension and turned to look at him.
"When I…" He sighed and Tim reached out to place his hand on Jethro's cheek. He turned into his touch and continued. "I told you what happened to my mother when I was thirteen." Tim nodded and ran his thumb over Jethro's cheekbone in a caress that Jethro sighed at and relaxed even more. "Well, Ms. Hannigan must have seen her opportunity to jump in. All through the wake and after the funeral, all I saw was Ms. Hannigan's care packages and her constant presence near my father."
He pulled Jethro closer and rested their foreheads together, his other hand coming up to rub the back of Jethro's neck, fingers threading through the hair at the base of his neck. "I'm guessing the chocolate was a popular one."
"Yeah," he sighed and finally melted into Tim, pressing their bodies together and wrapping his arms around him. "And she always sent more over the years."
Tim continued to caress his lover as he thought over Jethro's words. Though he opened up, sometimes Jethro worded things a certain way to hide what he really wanted to say. "You're worried about Jack. With the fact that the woman gave your dad another care package."
"Yes."
"Physical?"
"No."
"Emotional?"
"Tim."
Giggling, he pressed a kiss to Jethro's lips when he finally untucked his head from Tim's neck. "I know, you're not exactly the one people come to when they're having emotional problems, but you are his son."
"I doubt it."
He raised an eyebrow. "That's exactly what you said about Jack coming in the first place."
Jethro growled playfully as he tightened his arms around him. "I knew you weren't going to let that go."
"Nope," he grinned. "But, if it's not emotional, you think mental?"
"Only thing left."
Tim wanted to tell Jethro that he highly doubted that Jack was having mental problems, but he kept his mouth shut and pressed it to Jethro's lips. He knew Jethro would just deny it and stick with the mental theory. So he was saving them both some time.
A/N: PLEASE REVIEW!
I just realized, it doesn't really feel like Christmas is coming until you've heard "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" by Andy Williams; on the radio or in the store over the speaker. It's like the official song that Christmas is upon us.
