Tony's first week in Stillwater was a disaster in Tony's eyes though Jackson couldn't disagree that it hadn't gone horrible. He was an outsider being a foster kid and he had trouble making friends with kids his age while the adults seemed to shun him. He spent the mornings with Kelly playing around town or usually swimming and the afternoons in the store working for Jackson who got to know him better. One morning Tony spent with Jackson in town shopping and planned to take Kelly swimming in the afternoon.

"Can we go with Lola and her mom?"

"Uh … sure, let me drop these off with Mr. Broadway and change." Miles Broadway lived next door to Jackson and seemed to have a grudge against Tony for some reason. Taking the groceries over Miles just stared at him. "Is there anything else I can do for you Mr. Broadway?"

"Yeah go back to Jethro and tell him he's not fooling anyone. You can just get off my property and tell him we don't want you here." Tony was confused.

"What … I don't understand what I did."

"You don't have to your not the one who is committing fraud but we won't stand for it. Just get out of here, no one wants you." Tony was in shock but went to Jackson's house and laid down feeling sick to his stomach.

"Hey Tony, are you here?"

"Yeah I'm upstairs Jackson." Jackson had to go back into town and when Tony didn't return he got worried.

"Are you okay? I thought you were going to go swimming at the creek."

"I don't feel good and I couldn't remember the number to the store. Is it okay if I just stay here? I won't do anything."

"Did something happen?" Tony sighs but shakes his head and Jackson knew something was wrong. "What did Miles tell you?"

"Just to leave that I'm not wanted here. He said Gibbs isn't fooling anyone and I should just go." Tony saw Jackson turn red and get angry. "I just want to go back to DC. You and Gibbs said I didn't have to stay if I didn't want to and ..."

"I'll call Jethro tonight about sending you home tomorrow. First I'm going to go speak with Miles and then I have to go to town. Do you want to go with me?" Tony shrugs and Jackson went next door. Tony turned on the radio but couldn't help but hear them yelling.

"What do you think gives you the right to tell anyone that they don't belong here? Why would you tell someone you don't know that."

"I know who and what he is. He's just going to corrupt others by being here. You can tell people he's a foster kid all you want but you know that's Jacob." Tony went to the window wondering about this.

"What makes you say that? How … you have no proof as to who he is and that still doesn't give you the right to tell him to go away."

"He looks like that hoodlum father of his when he seduced Stephanie and now he's here pretending to be a guest. We're not stupid Jackson, we know he's nothing but trouble like his father Jethro." This shocks Tony who goes to sit on the bed before going to his suitcase.

"I don't know where you are coming off by accusing anyone of anything but Tony is a foster child of Jethro through a federal agency. It doesn't matter what you think but he's a good boy and ..."

"Then why was he just looking out the window to see what you came over to tell me? Good kids don't listen in on adult conversations and he disappeared as soon as I said I knew who he was." Jackson takes a deep breath.

"Just … if that's true then it's because he's in shock. I don't even think Jethro realizes that's Jacob."

"So you admit it is?"

"Yes, I knew because I met the adoptive parents but he really came as Jethro's foster son. Now I have to go check on him because you couldn't let things go just because of your hatred of Jethro."

"How was I supposed to know you never told them the truth?"

"How come you couldn't keep your trap shut about the whole thing. You had no interest in him when Jacob was born so why now?"

"I don't want him here. He brought a curse to my family and he'll do the same thing even now."

"Funny enough there's only you and Debra and I doubt she could care either way." Jackson storms back to the house to find Tony looking at a small folder. "Are you okay Tony?"

"Is what he said true?" Jackson sighs waiting in the doorway. "You can come in unless you think I'm going to do something."

"No, I don't think you're going to do something and yes. Jethro and his daughter Stephanie had a child together and yes you are the child."

"Does Gibbs know? I mean he wanted me to live with them, he buys me stuff when he doesn't have to … I mean stuff normal foster homes don't do. I wondered but ..."

"I don't think he does but Jethro does those things because that's the type of person he is. I also think he is trying to make up for not being able to take care of you when you were born." Tony thinks about this and shows Jackson a picture of him with Tony when he was born.

"I forgot about this picture. Where did you get it?"

"My mom had them, I take the packet everywhere but I haven't looked at it in years. I always knew I was adopted but not much about the family. Wouldn't Gibbs know if I share the same birthday?"

"No, not really. June 13 is the day Anthony and Elizabeth DiNozzo officially adopted you. Your legal birthday is April 3rd." Tony thinks about this. "I will call Jethro tonight and we'll go to DC tomorrow. He's going to want to know why I didn't say anything before."

"Why didn't you?" Jackson sighs as they hear Miles yelling at someone else outside. "I mean … it doesn't matter. No one wants me anyway but why bring me here?"

"Jethro didn't seem to know and I didn't know if you even knew you were adopted. I didn't want to make things complicated if you didn't or that Jethro only took you in because of who you were. It's not true but I didn't know how you felt." They hear the front door slam.

"Dad, Tony are you guys here?"

"We're up here Jethro." Tony sighs putting the pictures away and then under his pillow. "We weren't expecting you until this weekend. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, some stuff came up and I came a few days early. Should I ask why uh … Miles is yelling about my offspring?" Tony bit his lip knowing Gibbs was thinking about Kelly. "Where's Kelly?"

"She's at the creek and she's fine."

"Okay … you two look like something's going on. Care to share what happened?" Tony shrugs,

"Mr. Broadway just doesn't like that I'm here. No one in town does because I'm just a foster kid. Jackson and I were just talking about me going back to DC tomorrow."

"Okay, I'm going to be here through the weekend but you can go back with me." Jackson sighs,

"Why don't you head down to the creek Tony? I told Kelly I'd send you down after we talked." Tony got ready and heads out before Jackson looks at Gibbs.

"What happened? If Miles knows he's my foster kid ..."

"He's not exactly a foster kid Jethro."

"I know he's more to us but … what does that have to do with Miles."

"Tony is adopted … he was born Jacob Michael Gibbs born April 3rd." Gibbs was shocked and just stares at Jackson. "Miles recognized him and basically told him he wasn't wanted here by anyone. When I went to confront him he yelled out he was the child you gave you up."

"No wonder Tony doesn't want to stay here but … I had no idea. I never wanted to know but … I have been thinking about him but … I didn't know it was Tony."

"I told him that because he wondered if that's why you were so nice to him. I never mentioned it because I didn't know if he knew he was adopted or not. I didn't want to be the one to drop that ball and I assumed you didn't know."

"No, I was just being nice to him because he's a good kid. That's why Tony doesn't want to stay here?"

"He wanted to go home after Miles said no one wanted him. He's not making friends, the adults treat him like he's a troublemaker and … I don't blame him actually. I knew it was a matter of time before he wanted to go home but what Miles said just pushed it."

"He only thinks of himself and Tony did nothing to him. If I had known I wouldn't have just sent him like that."

"If I thought for a second Miles would pull something like that I would've never suggested it." Gibbs sits back with a groan. "What happened to bring you so early? Did something happen?"

"Anthony DiNozzo Senior has petitioned the courts to give up his rights to Tony. He disowned Tony years ago when he was 12 and since he's been in foster care for a while now the courts have decided he can sign his rights away."

"What's going to happen to him? You can't just send him away Jethro? I'll go petition the courts to get custody of him if that's the case."

"I'm not dad, I petitioned the courts to retain custody of him but they would like to speak to him to see if that's what he wants too. He's old enough to have a say so in the decision. If that turns out then I want to legally adopt him."

"He's your son though."

"I know but that's how I'd have to make him legally a Gibbs again. Apparently Senior is also in legal trouble so this is the easiest thing for Tony but I don't know what he's going to say."

"I think he'd like to stay with you but I'd be surprised if he wants to come back here."

"Well would you mind visiting us more often." Jackson chuckles,

"No but I will fully support you adopting him and making him officially ours again." Later when Tony and Kelly came back Gibbs and Jackson only mentioned the adoption and Seniors doings. They were going to wait until Kelly was older to tell her about Tony being her brother but she was excited about Tony becoming their family.

"Do you want to be my brother? Then you don't have to go anywhere anymore." Tony smiles,

"I would like that a lot." Gibbs nods,

"So would we. Grandpa says he'll come out to visit us more often if you don't ..." Tony shrugs,

"Some of the people who heard him found me and said to ignore him. They said he's always yelling at the new people strange stuff. They said they liked having me around and that's all that matters who likes me not who doesn't."

"That's good and he doesn't get to pick and choose who comes around." They talk about going back to DC on the 5th so they could go to court first thing Monday morning. They avoided talking about who Tony really was but it was in the back of their minds and Tony wasn't ready to confront Gibbs about it. He trusted Jackson when he said Gibbs hadn't taken him in knowing who he was.