After that, Ziva kept a close eye on the two senior agents, and her suspicion infected Tim, but as time passed and nothing untoward happened, they relaxed a little. Christmas came around and they were officially off duty, not even on call. Tim flew out to spend it with his family, Ziva went to friends in New York who'd promised to show her the traditional Jewish way of spending Christmas in New York, with Chinese food and an afternoon at the cinema.

'It sounds like something you'd enjoy, Tony,' she said as she gathered her things together and began bundling herself up to face the cold. 'You could come too; there is always room for one more at a Jewish gathering.'

'Thanks, Ziva,' Tony said, 'But I'm really looking forward to the It's a Wonderful Life Christmas movie marathon on TV this year. I might actually get to watch all of it. Oh, and sleeping in! I can do that this year! No being dragged out of bed at four in the morning to go to a freezing cold crime scene. No more dried out turkey-cranberry sandwiches at midnight and sleeping under my desk. No, you go, have a great time. I'm going to stay home and veg out. If I feel the need to go do something, there's always a pick-up game of basketball down at the Y in the afternoon.'

'Very well, have a good time. What about Gibbs? Do you know if he is doing anything?' Ziva asked.

Tony shrugged. 'His father's visiting. Beyond that, I have no idea.'

'If you get the opportunity, please give him my regards,' Ziva said. Finally finished wrapping herself in scarves and gloves, hats and earwarmers, she picked up her handbag and moved to stand in front of him. Awkwardly, she stretched up on tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. 'Happy Christmas, Tony.'

Bemused, Tony touched his cheek. 'Happy holidays, Ziva.'

'Am I interrupting something?' Gibbs came around the dividers, an amused expression on his face.

'I was just wishing Tony a happy Christmas,' Ziva explained, walking up to the older man. Even more awkwardly, she repeated her gesture, placing a kiss on Gibbs' cheek too. 'And happy Christmas to you, as well.'

Gibbs smiled and patted her on the shoulder. 'You too, Ziva. Have a good time in New York.'

With a wave, she left the bullpen. Tony watched as the elevator doors closed behind her. Wonderingly, he touched his cheek. 'What was that about?' he asked.

Gibbs came to stand beside him. 'I suspect she's been talking with Abby.'

'Oh.' After a moment, Tony said, 'You think she's going to start wearing mini-skirts? Ow!' He rubbed the back of his head as Gibbs went back to his desk. 'She sends Jack her regards.'

'You can tell him yourself when we get home. And speaking of…' Gibbs let his voice trail off meaningfully.

'On it, Jethro,' Tony grinned, hurrying to turn off his PC. 'Officially off the clock. Let's get out of here before someone tries handing us an investigation.'

'You said it,' Gibbs said, and together they left the bullpen and headed home.

#

There was a car parked outside the house when they pulled up. A metallic maroon Ford Taurus, it had local plates, but neither man recognised it.

'Think someone's visiting one of the neighbours?' Tony asked.

Gibbs didn't answer, but loosened the strap on his gun as he got out of the car. Quietly, he and Tony moved up the path to the house, then, standing to one side of the door, Gibbs turned the handle and slowly pushed it ajar.

They could hear Jack talking from somewhere further into the house. He sounded jovial, not angry or intimidated, so Gibbs opened the door the rest of the way and strode in, going through the living room to the kitchen.

'Dad? Who's your friend?'

'Leroy! Home on time for once,' Jack said warmly. He opened a cupboard and pulled out two more mugs. 'I was just making some spiced cider. This is Adelle.'

The young blonde stepped forward, hand outstretched. 'Adelle Roberts, from Mercy, Stills and Graham.'

'My grandmother's attorneys?' Tony asked, putting his gun away. 'Why are you here?'

She blushed prettily. 'I'm sorry for dropping by unannounced. The partners felt that due to the timing of your marriage, it would be wise to make sure it wasn't in name only.'

'I was just telling her how you've been dancing around each other for years,' Jack said, ladling out the cider and handing mugs to each of them. 'And how sorry I was not to make it down for the wedding, but I couldn't get anyone to mind the store for me. Ducky came by earlier, though, and brought the copy of your wedding photo that he had framed, wanted you to have it for Christmas. Here.' He handed Tony a wrapped present.

'That was very thoughtful of him,' Gibbs said, frowning, as Tony tore off the paper.

'Wow,' Tony said softly, looking at the photo. It was in a simple wooden frame: Tony and Jethro kissing, eyes closed, a soft expression on Gibbs' face that Tony didn't think he'd ever seen before, and Tony himself looking a little vulnerable, but not quite as stunned as he'd felt at the time. He passed the photo to Gibbs, who looked at it and, smiling, passed it back to his father.

'So what is it you want to know, Ms Roberts? Tony and I clearly live here together, we're married, and you're intruding on our first proper Christmas together.'

Adelle blushed even harder. 'I'm so sorry. You have to understand that with so much money at stake, the partners simply wanted to make sure everything was above board.'

'Wait, I thought it wasn't that much?' Tony said, confused. 'Enough for a decent deposit on a house, but nothing more.'

'Oh! Well, since your cousin Peter forfeited his own trust fund, that comes to you by default when you turn forty, if you remain married.' Adelle said.

'And that would be…?' Gibbs asked.

'Another two hundred and fifty thousand dollars,' Adelle said. 'You should have had a letter.'

Tony shook his head. 'Just the standard yearly reminder that I'm not getting any younger,' he said. 'Three hundred thousand dollars?' He whistled. 'That'd get your boat out of the basement, Jethro.'

'You think?' Gibbs said drily.

'Would you excuse me,' Jack interrupted. 'Speaking of getting older, there are certain parts of me that make themselves known more regularly, if you know what I mean.' He left the room and they could hear his footsteps on the stairs.

'Can I ask you something?' Adelle crossed over to the counter, where Jack had set the photo. 'Why aren't you wearing your wedding rings?'

'You're kidding, right?' Tony said, looking from her to Gibbs and back again. 'Seriously?'

'Ms Roberts, we've just gotten in from work. We haven't even had chance to secure our firearms. And you want to know why we're not wearing our rings?' Gibbs said.

The young lawyer looked even more confused.

'We're federal agents,' Tony explained. 'We work together on the same team. Jethro's my immediate boss.'

'And even though it's a civilian agency, we deal with the Navy and the Marines,' Gibbs added. 'All of those are very good reasons not to be out at work, wouldn't you say?'

'I hadn't thought of it like that,' Adelle said.

Tony fished his wallet out of his pants pocket, took out his ring and slipped it on. 'There. Better?'

'Much,' Gibbs said, putting on his own ring. He leaned over and kissed Tony on the temple. When he straightened, Tony stepped closer, so that their shoulders touched.

'Doesn't it make it hard, not being able to tell people that you're married?'

Tony shook his head. 'If they knew, there's a chance it could get one or both of us hurt or killed. We have enough enemies that we don't need to give them another way to get to us.'

'But surely not everyone at your agency is single?'

'No, but they aren't married to team members, either,' Gibbs said. 'And we're the major case response team. We're first in the firing line, quite often literally.'

'How long have you worked together?' she asked.

'Coming up on ten years,' Tony said. 'Been a while.'

'It's been worth it,' Gibbs said. 'Without you, I doubt I'd be here.'

'Oh, you're pretty much unkillable,' Tony grinned.

'I'm not sure that's a compliment,' Gibbs growled. 'Was there anything else you needed, or can we get started on our holiday?'

Adelle sighed regretfully. 'I could do with checking upstairs.'

'Excuse my mess in the guest room,' Jack said, coming back into the kitchen. 'I haven't had chance to unpack properly. After you, my dear.' As Adelle left the kitchen, he winked at the two men.

'But-' Tony began, only to quieten at the touch of Gibbs' hand on his arm.

'Don't worry, dad,' Gibbs said, moving to follow the lawyer. 'We'll get you sorted out in time for bed tonight.'

'Last time you did that, I couldn't find my socks,' Jack scoffed. 'I thought you marines were supposed to have a place for everything and everything in its place?' He ushered Tony out of the kitchen and brought up the rear.

'They were in their place,' Gibbs shot back. 'It's not my fault you're getting a little forgetful.'

'Forgetful? I'm not too old to put you in your place, my boy,' Jack threatened.

They reached the top of the stairs in time to see Adelle enter the master bedroom. A few seconds later, she reappeared, crossed the hallway and went into the guest room. With a quick look into the bathroom, she stopped in front of the men and smiled.

'Thanks for being so cooperative,' she said. 'I'll get out of your hair now and leave you to your holiday celebrations.'

'So everything's fine?' Tony asked. 'You've seen everything you need to?'

'I have, thank you. I'll call the partners from my car and let them know they have nothing to worry about. Congratulations. I hope you're very happy together.'

The men parted to let her through and Gibbs followed her down the stairs to show her out, leaving Tony and Jack alone.

'Mr Gibbs?' Tony asked.

'Give me a hand unpacking, won't you? Such a good boy,' Jack patted him on the arm, the epitome of an aging father-in-law.

'Of course,' Tony said acerbically. 'You shouldn't have carried your bag up these stairs. We wouldn't want you hurting yourself.'

In the guest room, Tony stared at the older man. 'What the hell?' he hissed.

Jack grinned and threw open the wardrobe door. Where there had previously been all of Tony's suits, now only a selection of unseasonal coats hung, together with a few of Jack's things. 'I took the liberty of moving a few of your things.' He gestured towards the bed. On the side table lay a couple of packets of pills, a glasses case and a dog-eared paperback, a western that was anything but Tony's choice of reading. Jack's slippers were set beside the bed, his folded pyjamas on top of the pillow.

'I shifted all your hair gels and fancy shampoos into Leroy's bathroom, too,' Jack said with a self-satisfied grin that was identical to the one Gibbs used on rare occasions. 'And for your information, I'm perfectly capable of carrying my own damn bag.'

They heard the front door shut and a few seconds later, Gibbs was standing in the doorway to the guest room.

Jack fixed them with a stare. 'Now, you boys mind telling me what's going on?'

Downstairs, with cider for Tony and Jack and a large glass of bourbon for Gibbs, they sat around the kitchen table and, as one, Gibbs Senior and Junior looked at Tony.

'What?' Tony asked, defensively. 'I had no idea the law firm was going to send someone out to check up on me.'

'Us,' Gibbs said. 'Check up on us.'

Tony shrugged. 'Me, us: the point is, I didn't know there was going to be any checking of anyone, Jethro.'

'She seemed like a nice young woman,' Jack said. 'I have to say, Leroy, I didn't think I'd be spending the holidays with a brand new son-in-law. No offence, Tony.'

'None taken,' Tony reassured him. 'I never thought I'd get married, especially not to my boss. No offence, Jethro.'

Gibbs grunted and took a sip of his bourbon. 'So what do you want to know, dad?'

'I don't know, son,' Jack said. 'Let's see if I've got this straight. Tony, you need to be married in order to get some kind of trust fund. And Jethro, you being a kind-hearted, selfless soul, offered to do the deed. Am I right.'

'Pretty much,' Gibbs said.

'So when did you get married, and why didn't you invite me?' Jack asked, sounding hurt.

'November fifteenth,' Tony said. He laid a hand on the table close to Jack's. 'And it isn't a real marriage. We didn't think - I didn't think - anyone would have to know.'

Jack looked from one man to the other and shook his head. 'But Ducky knows. And that picture he brought...'

'The JP was expecting a kiss,' Gibbs said dismissively. 'Didn't want her to have reason to doubt us. And Ducky did us a favor by picking up the license while we were out of town on a case. That's all.' Abruptly, he stood, taking his glass with him, and stalked off to the basement.

Jack slid his hand over and patted the back of Tony's hand. 'That's my boy,' he said softly. 'Always stubborn, that one. You hang in there, Tony. He'll come around, see what's right in front of him.'

Tony looked from Jack to his mug and back again. 'Mr Gibbs, I don't meant to be disrespectful, but just how much cider have you had?'

Jack laughed. 'Come on, son. Let's get dinner on the go. And don't you think you should call me dad? You're my son-in-law, after all.'

After that, Christmas went pretty well. Jack stayed in the guest room, although Tony changed the sheets, and when the younger man began getting ready to sleep on the couch in the living room, Gibbs growled at him and pushed him in the direction of the master bedroom.

'Not like we haven't shared before, Tony,' Gibbs said, and that was the end of the discussion.

The bed was large, wood-framed, the mattress on the hard side of comfortable. But the sheets were brushed cotton, and the blue and brown comforter was warm, and in the morning, after they'd woken up a whole lot closer than they'd fallen asleep and managed to negotiate the bathroom without hostilities breaking out, Gibbs said, 'I'll move the other chest of drawers in here this afternoon,' so Tony figured he wasn't moving back into the guest room any time soon.

Jack left the day after New Year's, heading back to Stillwater. 'Make sure that son of mine takes good care of you,' he admonished Tony, 'and don't let him push you around.'

'I won't, dad,' Tony said with a smile and a hug for the older man. 'Drive safely.'

'Come visit when you get chance and I'll look out those photo albums,' Jack promised.

'Dad!' Gibbs complained.

'Hey, it's traditional!' Jack said. 'Didn't get to show those ex-wives of yours, so I'm making up for it now.' He pulled Gibbs in for a hug. 'Don't be a stranger, Leroy.'

'Look after yourself, dad,' Gibbs said. Standing side by side, he and Tony watched and waved as Jackson drove away.

In the small hours of the morning, after a long day tracking down a suspected serial rapist, they stumbled up the stairs.

'I'll just…' Tony gestured vaguely, heading in the general direction of the bathroom. 'Teeth. Brush. You know.' Then a minute later, with a mouthful of foam, Gibbs heard a groan.

'Problem?'

Tony spat into the sink and rinsed out his mouth. 'Gotta change the sheets. I knew I should have done it this morning after Jack left.'

'We were late for work,' Gibbs pointed out, taking his place at the sink. 'Go lie down before you fall down.'

'But-'

'Tony.'

Under the force of the older man's glare, Tony's protest withered away. 'I'm going.' He shucked his clothes and pulled on sweats and a t-shirt, then crawled into the bed he'd been sharing for the past ten days. He was already mostly asleep by the time Gibbs climbed in beside him, moving close for warmth under the chilly sheets. It was almost a week before they had time to do laundry and, with most of his clothes now in the master bedroom and the weather being so awful, Tony put off moving back into the colder, smaller guest bedroom.