"What the hell Tony put that away!" Tim yelled at his friend.

"Give me a break McGee. Take a swig and relax...no one here will care and it is your Dad's funeral...do you really think you are going to make it through without some help?"

"You are serious?"

"As a heart attack. If I would have had some I may have made it through my Mother's funeral." Tony whispered.

"I've been to a funeral before Tony."

"Not one for your own parent...it is not even comparable."

"Sorry...I forgot...this must be hard for you."

"Not about me today McGee just take a shot...it is time to get this show on the road." Tony said handing Tim the flask. They each took a shot and the flask was tucked discreetly back into his jacket pocket just as the Priest walked in.

"People are arriving now Tim." He said smiling softly at the two who were over by the fire.

"Thank you Father. Go ahead and get this all started. Is there anything Tim needs to do before he goes into the sanctuary to join his family?" Tony asked.

"No Son, everything is ready. The Admiral selected a group of his men to do the heavy lifting." He said before walking out.

"Let's go Timmy." Tony said leading Tim out of the small room and into the church. Tony sat down next to Tim who was next to Sarah in the front row. His mother and Penney finished out the row. The funeral was quick and to the point, much like the Admiral was the few times that Tony had met the man. After his casket was taken out Tony took Tim out the side door and they got into his car, he knew that if anyone tried to hug Tim he would crumble. He was trying too hard to hold himself together.

The only tell he gave was tapping his thumb to his ring finger on his right hand...a habit he had developed when they were held captive in the desert...a habit that he was doing the entire length of the service and he was still doing in the car. Tony reached into his pocket and pulled out the flask and handed it to Tim. "Am I really that bad?" He asked quietly.

"No...but..."

"My finger?"

"No...I was going to say the burial is worse than the funeral."

"I have been to a burial before Tony."

"Not for your parent you haven't." Tony said looking over with tears in his eyes.

"Is it really that different?" Tim asked him now scared.

"For me it was...when they lower the casket into the ground...pile the dirt on top...it makes it all final...all real. I couldn't handle it at my Mom's. I...My nanny of the week had to carry me to the car...Senior said I was an embarrassment..." Tony said avoiding eye contact and focusing on the flashing lights on the motorcycle leading the funeral procession.

"I don't think I can do this." Tim admitted as he took a swig from Tony's flask.

"You will."

"This sucks."

"Yup...but at least you wont be told you are an embarrassment."

"I have to be strong for my family...The Admiral...Dad said that I need to be the man of the family now."

"Do you think Gibbs is a man?" Tony asked and Tim looked at him like he had gone insane. "Gibbs cried at his father's funeral...and at Mike's."

"Thanks Tony." Tim said reclining the seat and resting his arm over his eyes. Tony reached over and set his hand on Tim's shoulder and held it as they pulled into the cemetery. They parked and silently got out of the car and walked straight to the row of seats in front of the waiting casket.

The burial seemed to be in slow motion but in reality it was quite quick. No one wanted to be in the cold and snow any longer than they needed to be. The Priest led a prayer, they folded the flag, presented it to Tim, did the guns and then started to lower the casket into the ground. They all got up and laid a rose on the lowering casket and dropped a handful of dirt before sitting back in the frozen metal chairs. Tony heard Sarah's sobs and reached his arm around Tim to her and pulled her into Tim, holding them both. In all honesty Tony did not know if he was doing it for them or for himself, with tears streaming down his face he felt Gibb's and the rest of the teams eyes on their backs.

Tim could also feel the eyes on his back and heard the choked sobs from Sarah and broken breathing coming from Tony on his other side. He leaned into Tony and allowed the tears to fall from his own eyes. They cried through the remainder of the burial as the Priest announced that the reception would be back at the church people quickly got into their cars and left. Not five minutes later the family and Tony were the only ones left in the cemetery. Penney, Sarah and their mother left soon after telling the guys to drive safe back to the church as it was now snowing on them.

"If we go back I have to talk to all the suits...to all the people pretending like they actually knew him..."

"Or we can stay here and freeze to death."

"Can we take the long way back?"

"Sure Tim." Tony said standing up.

They drove through town rather than the highway to get back to the church, Tim was sure that Tony had never driven so slow in his life and it was greatly appreciated. When they got back to the church they sat in the car letting it idle. Tony could feel his phone vibrate in his pocket the entire time. He was sure it was either Sarah or Abby...or both wondering where they were.

When Tim realized it had been over an hour since the burial had finished he started tapping his thumb to his finger again. "I am ready whenever you are." Tony told him, "If we actually go in my pocket may stop buzzing." He said with a smirk.

"I left mine at home."

"You ready?" Tony asked. When Tim nodded the two of them got out of the car and walked quickly through the snow to the side door that led to the reception hall and snuck in the back.

Well...tried to sneak into the back. They were greeted by a hysterical Sarah throwing a phone at them. Tony's quick reflexes caught it a split second before it was to crack Tim in the head. "WHERETHEHELLHAVEYOUBEENIHAVEBEENFREAKINGOUTYOUWERESUPPOSETOBERIGHTBEHINDUSANDWEHAVEBEENBACKFORALMOSTANHOUR!" Sarah screamed at them pacing back and forth. Tim shook his head and tried to walk past.

When Tony got closer he saw that Sarah was in fact a complete mess, full blown panic attack mode with tears streaming down her face, not just her usual drama queen attitude she had towards Tim. Tony pulled her close to him holding her head into his chest and running his hand down her hair whispering for her to breathe with him. To see her this upset Tony was reminded of himself. When Tim turned around to see Sarah crying hysterically into Tony's chest his heart broke. He didn't realize.

"God Sarah...I didn't know..."

"Couch or something Tim...never been here before today." Tony said quickly. Tim snapped into action and Tony half carried and half led her to the back of the hall where he sat down and pulled her onto his lap as he simultaneously took off his winter coat and wrapped it around her as a blanket. Tim watched as Tony rocked his sister back and forth and held her so tight into him that if she had been fully there it would have probably hurt. Tony saw Gibbs start to walk towards them with the gang in tow before realizing what he was doing and he stopped the gang and instead led them to a table to get some food.

As she calmed down Tony stopped rocking her but did not loosen his hold. "Tim you need to thank everyone for coming...I know it is hard...but these people gave up their Christmas with their families to be here to support you and yours." Tony told him gently as he looked down and saw that Sarah was beginning to fall asleep in his arms. "Go do it and humor the stiffs and I will lay her down and come save you in a couple minutes."

"I hate this."

"You still have my flask." Tony smiled at him.

"Just what I need..Thank you General...with booze on my breath...right."

"Suck it up McWhiner."

"You can be such a pain in my..."

"I love you too Timmy." Tony smiled at him as Tim shook his head and stalked off on a mission.

"Thank you Tony." Sarah whispered into his shoulder with her eyes still closed.

Tony hugged her into his chest again, "Everything will be okay you know...different...but okay."

"I know." She whispered hugging him back before wiggling off of his lap and covering herself with his coat. "I am going home with the two of you...I cannot handle mom or Penney anymore."

"Campfire at Timmy's." Tony said smiling at her, he didn't know how two people so different could be related. "I am off to save the Wizard."

Tony walked up to Tim and wrapped his arm loosely around his shoulder quickly to let him know he was there before making his way around the crowd. Tim was amazed at how smoothly he interacted with everyone there, recalling stories that he had told him years ago as complaints and was hearing them now in new light as Tony was able to turn them into loving father son moments. He certainly had a way with words and Tim wondered how much of what Tony had told him was the truth and how much was what Tony wished was the truth about his childhood.

When Gibbs and the crew finally came over Tony and Tim they were wrapped in hugs and passed around between their friends. Abby was going on about how cute they were all dressed up, and kept asking Tim if he was actually okay...Gibbs finally had to pull her off of him and pass her to Tony, "Abbs he isnt like us...you have to let him come to you...he doesn't do the emotional stuff remember?" Abby rolled her eyes at him and crossed her arms. "I love you Abbs." Tony said pulling her into him eliciting a giggle and a hug in return.

After everyone had left Tony told Penney that he would take Tim and Sarah home and to just go when they got done. Tim had gone and made himself comfortable on the other end of the couch from where his sister was laying, burrowed in Tony's coat. Tony walked over and picked up the bundle of Sarah and pulled her onto his lap, she stiffened when he first picked her up but quickly relaxed into his arms with one arm going around his back and the other gently gripping his shirt and her head rolling on his shoulder to his arm. "Lets get her home. It has been a long day."

Tony laid her down in the backseat and buckled her up. She used his go bag for a pillow. Tony knew that she was not actually asleep but that she needed space. Tim however thought she was out like a light. The two had quiet conversation, first talking about the weather, then a replay of the funeral, then Tim asked Tony about his Mother's funeral. Tony clinically told him about that awful day in such extreme detail it was heart breaking.

"Do you ever go visit her gravesite?"

"I avoid cemeteries if I can."

"You haven't been to visit her?"

"I have...I just don't like to...she is four rows away from Kate." Tony admitted.

Tim looked at him shocked, "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"Don't usually talk about it." Tony answered, "Besides...movies were our thing...I talk about movies all the time." He said smiling at all the memories.

"I am scared that I wont be able to remember the Admiral...my dad...with happy memories."

"Give it time Tim...he loved you...you loved him...that is all the matters."

"Does it ever stop hurting?"

"No."

"How do you go on?"

"You learn how to deal...things trigger memories...it isn't always easy...sometimes it sucks...at least you have a sister to talk to about it." Tony said looking at Sarah in the rear view mirror. She had her eyes closed but a small smiled appeared on her lips.

"She can't see me cry."

"She did today...why would any day in the future be any different?"

"I need to be strong for her."

"You don't have to be strong all the time."

"He told me I had to be the man now...that was the last thing he said to me...not that he loved me...not that he was proud of me...he told me I needed to be the man now."

"Just be a human Tim."

"Can we talk about something else?" Tim asked uncomfortable.

"House on Haunted Hill or Annie?"

"Huh?"

"Which one do you want to start with?"

"Are you serious?"

"You said to talk about something else." Tony said with a smirk as he pulled into his parking space at Tim's apartment.

"Annie." Sarah said as she slid her arms into Tony's coat sitting up and unbuckling.

"Good choice." Tony said reaching for his go bag and helping Sarah out of the car.

Tim looked back and forth between the two of them shaking his head, "Unbelievable." With a humph he asked, "How long have you been listening?"

"Since we left the church." Sarah answered smugly, Tony couldn't help but smile as Tim stomped his way into his apartment leaving the door open behind him. "I love you Timmy." Sarah said kissing his cheek before sitting down on the couch curling herself up in Tony's coat again.

Tony went into the bedroom with his bag and changed out of his suit and into a pair of old faded jeans and an old NCIS tshirt. When he went back into the living room he saw that Sarah was still in her dress and his coat but that she had kicked off her heals. He tossed her his bag, "Go change...get comfy...they will be too big but..."

"Thanks Tony." Sarah said with a smile and jumping up, shrugging off the coat before going into the bathroom.

"She has a crush on you." Tim remarked as he sat down at his typewriter.

"For good reason...I am quite the catch." Tony said with an exaggerated eye roll.

"You are sixteen years older than she is."

"Now now Timothy you just relax and write while Sarah and I watch our movies...I will never understand how she got the love for movies and you only care for the stuffy old books." Tony teased.

"Maybe if you read a few more books then you wouldn't constantly act like a child."

"You just called me old and now you are saying I am a child. Make up your mind." Tony said as Sarah walked back into the living room wearing Tony's NCIS sweats that were about five sizes too big and a Baltimore PD hoodie. "I like the look." He told her as she sat down on the couch next to him.

Tim rolled his eyes and stalked into the bedroom slamming the door behind him. "What's his problem?" She asked Tony as he started the movie.

"He can't decide if I am too old or too young." Tony said with a twinkle in his eye.

"Put them together and you are just right." Sarah said leaning back into the corner of the couch tucking her toes under Tony's leg.

Tony heard the shower start and knew that Tim was more than likely drowning his tears in the water. A part of him wanted to go in there and make sure he was okay, but he knew that would be crossing the line. Tony decided he would give him a half hour before going in to check on him. He had a hard time focusing on the movie and was just listening to the water running on the other side of the wall. "You aren't paying attention to the movie." Sarah noted.

"Hmmm...oh...I guess not."

"Did your father really treat you how you make it sound?"

She wanted to go there? "Not all the time...sometimes it was worse...sometimes not...when he wanted to show me off he was the model of a perfect father...when he didn't...well...he wasn't."

"I'm sorry."

"It's all good."

"No it isn't...you take care of Tim...how you took care of me today...that was how you wished people were for you...that is why you care so much about everyone else."

Damn...she was better at reading people than he was. "Do you ever let anyone take care of you?"

"Haven't really had anyone try..."

"Never?"

"My mom...but she died when I was eight...then Kate...when I got the plague...she stayed with me...but then Ari..."

"Killed her...I remember Tim saying something about that."

"Ziva and I...but then she left...I still have her necklace in my desk as a reminder..."

"Reminder of what Tony?"

"To not let anyone get close to me." Tony said shrugging his shoulders.

"Because they always leave you."

"Something like that." Tony said noticing that the water had finally shut off.

"When it is all you know...Gibbs has been around the longest..."

"But he left too...and then came back..."

"Kinda hard to get past all that...too scared."

"The movies never leave."

"Nope...there are always new ones coming out and the old ones...they are the same every time I watch them..."

"What is the same every time you watch them?" Tim asked walking out in flannel pajama pants and a crisp white tshirt.

"Movies."

"Of course they are the same every time...you watch the same movies over and over." Tim said sitting down at his typewriter, his back to his best friend and his sister who had turned to each other and smiled.

"Having something consistent is important." Sarah said, not taking her eyes off Tim. Tony knew that she was not just talking about the movies anymore.

"This is the best part." Tony said refocusing on the movie. Sarah sighed and turned her eyes back to the movie, Tim started typing away and Tony was relieved that the conversation had ended.

Tony and Sarah took turns choosing the movies; Annie, House on Haunted Hill, Winnie the Pooh, Fly Boys... They explained why they chose the movies they did before starting them but there was very little talking other than that. A little after four in the morning Tim was distracted from his focus on his book by the sound of silence. When he turned around he couldn't help but smile, they were both asleep on the couch, heads both resting on a stack of pillows between them and legs dangling over the opposite ends. Tim slowly got up and stretched before walking over and covering the two most important people to him with an old quilt before retiring to his bedroom.