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Chapter 7

Enjoy!

Gibbs looked at McGee who was sleeping soundly on the sofa bed in his living room. The place where Harry had gone to sleep was empty and the sheets were cold, indicating that Harry had been up for some time. Gibbs took a look at the clock in the kitchen, 03.34, before he went down to the basement. Walking softly down the stairs, Gibbs found Harry sitting engraving on a piece of wood, which Gibbs could see that Harry had carved to an oval figure. Jethro was lying on the floor, his big head on his paws.

"Hi." Harry said when Gibbs sat down beside him.

"What are you doing up?" Gibbs asked and looked at the tired expression on his nephew's face. Harry was slightly pale and had some rings under his eyes.

"I had a nightmare." Harry said and placed the knife back on the table behind him.

"The same as the one you had at Headquarters?" Gibbs asked.

"You noticed that did you?" Harry asked. Gibbs nodded and took the wood from Harry's hand and let his eyes run over it, taking in the runes the teen had engraved.

"What it is?" Gibbs asked, not wanting to prod Harry further about his nightmare, since it was clear that he didn't want to talk about it.

"Protection runes. Thurisaz, Raidho and Algiz." Harry pointed at each rune when he said their names.

"I was going to put Mannaz, the rune of man, on there as well when you came down here." Harry continued, taking the wood into his hands again.

"You know about runes?" Gibbs asked; every little casual question could help him get to know Harry better without seeming suspicious.

"Yeah, hard not to." Harry said while he turned the wood in his hands, not really noticing what he was saying.

"Why is it hard not to know runes?" Gibbs asked. Harry's eyes shifted from the wood to look at his uncle. Something seemed to clear in his tired eyes.

"Nothing, I have already said too much." Harry said and turned his head away from the searching silvery blue eyes of his uncle. Jethro lifted his head and rubbed it against Harry's calf; he could feel Harry's distress. Gibbs gently took the wood from Harry's hands and put it on the table beside the knife before taking Harry's hands in his own.

"Harry it is okay for you to know runes, like it is okay for me to smack DiNozzo over the back of his head when he says something stupid." Gibbs said. Harry couldn't help but smile and Jethro let his head drop again. Somehow Gibbs felt that Harry once again had avoided telling one of his best kept secrets.

"What time is it?" Harry asked. Gibbs turned shocked eyes to his nephew completely confused over the teen's question.

"Around four. Why?" Gibbs asked when he noticed Harry's expression.

"Nothing it is not important." Harry said and grabbed the knife again to finish his runes. Gibbs once again grabbed Harry's hands, stopping him from engraving the next rune.

"No it is not nothing. The way you reacted is not nothing. So tell me." Gibbs ordered. Harry looked up and locked his eyes with his uncle's.

"I just wanted to know if it was before or after midnight."

"Go on."

"Because if it had been p.m. it would have been my birthday." Harry said and removed his hands from Gibbs' grip.

"Sorry." Gibbs said, he couldn't believe he hadn't noticed that bit of information on the screen when he had read the family tree. Harry lifted his head and looked quit confused.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"I read the family tree did I not? I am apologizing for not noticing it was your birthday. Congratulation by the way." Gibbs said. Harry couldn't help the tired smile that lit up his face. He had been down in the basement for a few hours since the nightmares had been haunting his sleep once again.

"Thank you." Harry said and tried to stifle a yawn. Gibbs smiled at his nephew and stood.

"You should try to get some more sleep, it's Sunday and you can sleep in." Gibbs said. Harry nodded and made his way up the stairs, Jethro in front of him and Gibbs behind him. Harry smiled when he saw Tim; his small snores filled the silence and his left hand lying where Harry had been earlier. Harry sat down on the sofa bed and Jethro lay down beside him on the floor.

"One question: how are you going to get the boat out of the basement?" Harry asked; he could remember how Tim had told him about Gibbs' many boats and the mystery about how he got them out of the basement.

"Night Harry." Gibbs said with a smile that told Harry that he had to figure that out himself, and walked towards the stairs.

"Night." Harry whispered and snuggled down under the covers. Tim's arm moved a bit and ended up lying over Harry's hip.

A.N.

The poll has decided, It Runs In the Family will be the story that I will continue till I get the time to write properly again.

Links to more about the runes used (remove spaces): http : // www . uffes – smedja . nu / runes . htm

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