Part 2
(Thanks for the reviews. Sorry I spelt title wrong, have changed it to confusion)
Gibbs held the boy for a while and then said," Come to the table and have something to eat. He set Tony down on one of the chairs and set a bowl of oatmeal in front of him. Tony screwed up his nose as he put the spoon into it and tried it.
"Add some syrup or honey," Gibbs said.
Tony did and the next mouthful tasted much better. "Good."
"Here's some milk."
He looked at the mug of coffee Gibbs was drinking. "Can I have some coffee?"
"No. Children drink milk or water in this house."
After eating Gibbs insisted he go back to bed. "I'm not tired."
"Thought we could talk about who you are and why you were on your own."
"My name's Tony."
"Gibbs," the man said. Tony couldn't help the gasp. "What's wrong Tony?"
"Nothing." It was obvious this Gibbs had no idea who he was. Why could he remember Gibbs but Gibbs didn't know him? None of this made any sense. It was like an episode of the Twilight Zone.
"Where did you come from?"
"I don't know."
"Don't lie." God this Gibbs was just as direct as his one.
"Honestly I don't know."
"Your parents?"
"Dead."
"You run away from an orphanage?"
"I'm not lying, I really don't know."
"We can go into town tomorrow and let the Doc have a look at you again. He did feel a bump on the back of your head."
Tony put his hand back, he could feel it, maybe that's what was causing these dreams.
"We can ask at the Sheriff's office if anyone has been looking for you." Tony was sure no one would have been.
"I know this is going to sound stupid but what year is this?"
"Are you joking?"
"No I'm not."
"1880."
Tony couldn't believe this. Why on Earth had this happened? Why was he dreaming about this time? It made no sense at all. "I can't go into town dressed like this," Tony said. "Have you got my clothes?"
"All you were wearing when I found you was this shirt." He held up one of Tony's shirts. "It can't be yours, it's much too big."
"I'm not going in like this," Tony said emphatically.
"I've got clothes you can wear." Gibbs went over to a chest and pulled out some trousers, a shirt and long underwear. "This should do."
Tony looked at the long underwear, Ziva would laugh herself silly if she saw him in those. "I'm not..."
"Yes you are." There was that no nonsense tone again. This Gibbs was as used to giving orders as his one. "I'll set up a bath in front of the fire for you."
"In front of the fire?"
"Of course. They do it differently where you were brought up?" If this man only knew Tony thought.
"We had a room where we bathed."
"No rooms here. Just the fire."
He heard Gibbs drag something heavy into the other room and then he heard water being poured in. "Alright Tony, it's ready."
The man hadn't been joking, a bath was sitting in the living area. "What if someone comes?"
"Don't you worry, no one comes here. Now hurry up before it gets cold. I didn't make it too hot. The soap's there as well." Tony stood by the bath. "Come on boy, it won't hurt you."
"I'm used to bathing in private."
"Then get unused to it. You don't get in that bath pronto I'll be putting you in it." Tony scowled. "I'll give you to three. One.... two.."
Tony pulled the night shirt off and almost jumped in. This was so embarrassing, almost like the time Kate and Gibbs had run into his hotel room when the lizard was in his bed. He had to admit he felt much better when he'd finished.
"I'm going out to tend the animals," Gibbs said. "You come out when you're dressed."
Tony quickly washed and dressed. The boots Gibbs had set out were a bit big and the trousers hung off his hips but they were better than that night shirt. He opened the door and looked out. He could hear someone out in the barn and he made his way there. Gibbs was milking a cow, talking to her as he worked. "Mr. Gibbs," Tony said.
"Come on over," he said. "You ever milked a cow?"
"No."
"Sit down, I'll show you." He grabbed Tony's hand and put it on the cow's teat. He then showed him how to squeeze and pull it to get the milk. "Now you try." It took Tony a few tries but he picked it up quickly. Gibbs was standing over at a dresser that was sitting at the side of the barn.
"What are you doing?"
"Making drawers for this dresser. I want to have it finished by tonight so we can take it into town to sell."
"What is the town called?"
"Stillwater."
"Have you lived here long?"
"A while. If you're finished that take the milk into the house and then feed oats to the horse." Tony got up grabbing the trousers as he stood. "Let's go into the house, I can get some suspenders to fix that problem. Lee had the same problem with them."
"Is Lee your son?" Tony asked inquisitively.
Gibbs turned round quickly. "That is none of your business. Understand?" he shouted in the boy's face.
"Yes sir," Tony answered quickly moving away. He'd seen his father that mad before and he'd ended up with a black eye, he did not want a repeat of that.
Gibbs noticed the boy shy away from him. He hadn't meant to terrify him, it was just something he wouldn't .. couldn't talk about. "It's alright boy," he said in a calm voice. "I just don't want to talk about it. Come on."
Tony walked behind keeping enough of a distance from him that he could run if he needed to. Gibbs went back to the chest and pulled out leather straps. Tony backed up to the door. Gibbs saw the fear in the boy's eyes. He knew he was going to run. The boy was off before he could catch him. He took off over the yard and was nearly at the gate when he fell over. Gibbs was at him before he could get up. He instinctively curled into a ball pleading with the man. "Please don't, I won't ask again."
"I'm not going to touch you Tony." Gibbs cursed himself. He should have realised what the boy would think when he saw the straps. This boy had obviously been beaten by someone. "These straps will hold up your trousers. Look. They have buttons that tie on."
Tony was frightened to uncurl. He'd been tricked too many times before. Five minutes passed before he made any move. Gibbs was sitting by the gate. The leather straps were on the ground by his feet. He put his hand out and grabbed them. Gibbs had been telling the truth. He could see the button holes. "Want some help?"
Tony stood up. "Yes." He still flinched as the man came towards him but all he did was tie them.
"Better?"
"Thanks." How could he explain to this man? "I.."
"My fault. I shouldn't have shouted at you. And another thing, I would never take a belt to a child for asking a question. You going to feed the horse?"
"Yes."
"The oats are in the barn beside the dresser. Then you can feed the chickens and collect the eggs."
Tony did all the chores Gibbs asked and then made his way back into the barn. "Can I help?"
"Not on this one but I'm making a small one for the Judge's daughter. Take the sand paper and use it on that piece of wood."
Tony watched Gibbs as he worked. He'd always loved being asked down to help work on his boat. This Gibbs was just as good with wood.
"Lunch time," Gibbs said getting up.
Gibbs made a couple of sandwiches and poured a cup of coffee and a glass of milk. They ate in silence. Gibbs told Tony to empty the bath water out the back on his vegetable patch and then put the bath away. It took ages because he had to use a pot to carry the water. Even empty the bath was difficult to lift out. He washed the dishes. Then he looked around the room. There was a shelf above the fireplace with some photographs. Beside the fireplace was a chair. He went over and sat in it. A book was sitting beside it. He picked it up. It was a novel called Ivanhoe by Walter Scott. Tony remembered seeing the film with Robert Taylor. He sat down on the chair and started to read.
He jumped when he heard the door open. "I was just..."
"You can read?"
"Yes."
"You like the book?"
"Yes. I've only seen..." He realised he would sound crazy if he talked about films to this man so he stopped.
"Carry on reading while I make some dinner."
Tony almost fell asleep over dinner. "Go get ready for bed," Gibbs saw him open his mouth to argue, " and yes you are to wear the night shirt." Tony pouted.
He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Gibbs came into the room. The boy looked so young in sleep. Gibbs had decided he was not going to hand the boy over to the authorities. He didn't know who had beaten the boy but he was sure it was either his father or someone at an orphanage. He would offer to take the boy until someone else could be found.
TBC
