*Tony Pov*

"Well at least there will be snacks, I'm starved," Tony stated as they entered the elevator.

"You are always hungry Tony. It's Christmas. Can you think of nothing besides food?"

"Ooh, you're right! Maybe they'll still have some eggnog left."

Tony dodge as Ziva playfully smacked his shoulder. "Do you think they will still be here or did Gibbs frighten them off already," Ziva asked as the elevator came to a stop.

"Wow. See for yourself," Tony said as they exited the elevator. Halfway across the room just off to the right side was Mrs. Walker and Gibbs. Gibbs was holding the baby, Jean, and talking with Mrs. Walker.

"Is he actually smiling," ZIva asked stunned.

"The bossman and babies, go figure Zeevah." Tony shrugged and started walking over to introduce himself.

"Mrs. Walker," Tony greeted her as he approached.

"Please call me Jessica."

Tony shook her hand. "Anthony DiNozzo, but you can call me Tony." He stepped aside so that Ziva could great Mrs. Walker as well.

"Ziva David. Please call me Ziva," Ziva said as she shook Mrs. Walker's hand as well.

"Thank you both so much. I can't tell you how grateful I am for everything."

"Don't mention it. Just part of the job ma'am," Tony told Mrs. Walker.

While Tony wasn't normally a Christmas person he did have to admit this one was shaping up rather nicely. After a few minutes of conversation Ziva left to get something to drink. Mrs. Walker excused herself to use the restroom. While she was gone Gibbs' phone rang. Holding Jean with one arm he carefully pulled out his phone and frowned.

"I need to take this." He looked at Tony and raised an eyebrow. "Do you mind," Gibbs asked nodding down to the sleeping baby in his arms.

"Um." Tony looks around briskly trying to see if anyone else was free. He decided it would take too much time to find anyone else. "Sure why not?" He gave Gibbs a shrug.

Gibbs efficiently transferred the sleeping baby to Tony and headed off to take his call. Tony looked down at the baby. Jean, he thought to himself. Memories ran through his mind. The first time he saw her in the car seat. Holding her and trying to type. Memories of her sleeping on his shirts in the drawer. Unexpectedly he found himself smiling. Usually he didn't like babies. Somehow this one had grown on him.

"You're pretty okay for a baby," Tony whispered to Jean. For a while he sat there just watching her sleep. As someone approached he looked up. Mrs. Walker and McGee stood next to him.

"Thank you for watching her. If you want I could take her back," Mrs. Walker offered.

Tony thought about it twice. "If you want get something to eat or drink I'm okay holding her."

Mrs. Walker smiled. "That would be nice, if you don't mind. I wouldn't want to impose."

Tony shook his head slightly, "It's no problem."

"Thank you so much, I'll just be right over there if you need anything." She pointed over to where the tables of food were set up.

"Not a problem," Tony told her. "I'm sure we'll be fine until you get back."

As Mrs. Walker turned and left Tony looked up and caught Tim staring at him. "What Probie?"

"Who are you and what have you done with Tony," Tim asked.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Tony, it's a baby."

Tony raise his eyebrows in mock shock. "Really? And here I thought it was just the latest in fashion accessories."

"All I'm saying is usually-"

"I know what you meant. Geez McGeek lighten up, it's a baby not a bomb.

*Gibbs Pov*

Gibbs smiled as he heard Tony quote the exact thing he had told Tony earlier in the day. One day he's going to make a pretty decent dad, Gibbs thought to himself. It had been a long time since he had smiled on Christmas he realized. Deciding Tony had it covered he stayed where he was watching his two agents watch a baby sleep. He allowed himself to revel in some of his own fond Christmas memories for the first time in a long time. For the first time in a long time he was able to smile at those memories.

"Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs!" He turned just in time see an Abby shaped blur fling it's self at him. Even with that much warning he still had to take a step back to steady himself as the force of an enthusiastic Abby collided with him. She wrapped him in one of her patent Abby hugs. He put one arm around her to hug her back and smiled. Finally she unwrapped herself and took a step back. He watched as she started to say something before pausing.

"Are you okay," she asked him with an odd expression on her face.

Gibbs frowned at that. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You just... I mean..." As Abby's words trailed off she reached up and gently brushed her fingers along the bottoms of his eyes. She held her fingers up for him to see. He was surpised when he saw the tips of her fingers were slightly damp. Shaking his head slightly he pulled her in for another hug.

"It's fine Abby," he told her as he released her. "Just some old memories."

"Oh," Abby replied quietly.

"Hey," Gibbs said putting his hand under her chin. He lifted her face until she was looking him in the eyes. "Good memories," he told her softly. "Good memories."

"Promise?"

"Would I lie to you Abby?"

Abby smiled as she shook her head. "I just thought maybe you were sad because it's Christmas and you can't be with your family."

Gibbs stared at her for a moment then turned around and watch McGee and Tony quietly talking. He turned and skimmed the crowd until he found Ziva talking with Palmer on the other side of the room. Not far off he saw Ducky and Gerald in a conversation with some other N.C.I.S personel. He turned his gaze back to Abby.

"I am with my family Abby."

"I'm happy you're happy Gibbs. Oh, I almost forgot. Can we open presents soon? I don't think I can wait much longer!"

Gibbs frowned. "Abby I left my gift for you at my house."

"Ha ha Gibbs. Very funny."

"Abby, I'm serious. I haven't had time to go back and get it yet."

"Then I suppose Santa mysteriously dropped it off under the tree in my office," she replied.

"Under your tree?"

"Yeah, under my tree with everyone elses presents." She held up a small, simply wrapped box that he recognized as the gift he was planning on giving Abby. "So come on, can we open presents soon or not? Please?"

"I'll get McGee and DiNozzo. You go get everyone else." Abby bounced off to collect everyone else. Gibbs tried to come up with a reason as to how the presents had mysteriously appeared at the N.C.I.S building. He couldn't come up with an answer for how it could have happened. After ensuring Jean was safely returned to her parents he made a quick detour before heading to Abby's lab.

Gibbs walked into Abby's lab with a cup in each hand. Walking passed DiNozzo he handed him the coffee cup before handing Abby her cup. "Everyone ready to open presents," he asked giving Abby a peck on the cheek.

"Uh, Boss-" Tony started before he got cut off by Abby.

"Caf-Nog! You remembered!"

"Of course I remembered Abby."

"Uh, Boss," Tony repeated.

"What DiNozzo?"

"I think this coffee's a little cold."

"Might be 'cause it's not coffee DiNozzo," Gibbs replied with a half-smirk.

Tony lifted the lid and checked the contents. "Yes! Eggnog! Thanks Boss."

Gibbs shrugged. "It's Christmas time."

"How'd you get it? I asked Ziva to check if there was any when she went to get a drink. She said there wasn't any left."

"Might be cause I got the last cup and stashed it for you." The goofy grin on Tony's face was more than thanks enough for Gibbs. "So are we opening gifts or not?"

*Later on with our beloved NCIS peeps*

*Technically Tony Pov*

They exchanged gifts and opened them. Afterward they spent sometime telling amusing holiday stories and just generally enjoying each other's company. Gerald, Jimmy and Ducky had to leave to go home. Pretty soon it was just the five of them left in Abby's office. In a lull in the conversation Tony couldn't help himself. "Man a drink would be nice after a day like this one."

"I just might be able to help you with that Tony," Abby said as she spun slow circles in her desk chair.

"Sorry Abbs, I was thinking something a little more strong than your non alcoholic whiskey."

"Actually I made some of that too, but that's not quite what I meant," Abby said cryptically.

Tony watched Abby stop spinning and reached into the bottom drawer of her desk. "Tada! Along with my non alcoholic whiskey I have a bottle of vodka."

"Abby, why do you have a bottle of vodka in your desk," Ziva asked.

"I was supposed to go to another Christmas party after this one was over," Abby stated then shrugged.

Gibbs checked his watch which read 00:28. "Abby the N.C.I.S. party ended more than two hours ago."

"I know."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I was doing something more important."

"Abby, all you were doing was talking with us for hours," Tony said.

"Yep. Exactly what I said."

*Gibbs Pov*

Gibbs opted not to drink more than one toast so that he could drive anyone else that did drink. Ziva had two toasts, but claimed that was all she wanted. As their small party winded down Ziva ended up taking Tony home and Gibbs took Abby and Tim. Despite it being Christmas Gibbs was actually in a really good mood. He whistle to himself as he approached his door and walked into his house.

As he walked into the living room he stopped after only a few steps. Someone had come in and decorated his fireplace. Gibbs furrowed his brow in confusion There was garland across the mantle of the fireplace. Gibbs walked forward and inspected it. It was real garland not the artificial garland now commonly sold in stores. There were also small hand carved wood decoration both in the garland and place on top of the mantle.

In the center of the mantle of the fireplace was what looked like a present. It was a small, thin rectangle wrapped in plain white paper. Gibbs picked up the package and turned in a full circle to inspect the rest of the living room. Nothing else seemed to have been touched. He walked back to the front door to check for any prints in the snow beyond those he had just made. Finding none he walked to the back door and checked. No foot prints there either. Cautiously he checked the rest of the house. Nothing else seemed to have been touched.

Gibbs, still holding the package walked over to his couch and sat down. He spent a few minutes studying the package. Wondering where it had come from? Who had left it? Why they decorated his house? Was the person that left this package the same one who had brought the baby here? What was in the package? He set the package down and went into the kitchen to get a beer.

When he returned he took a sip of his beer and placed it on the coffee table. Gibbs picked the small package back up. He slowly started to open it. When the paper was loose enough to be removed he hesitated. Holding it so that the open side was on the bottom he spent time running his fingers across it. It felt like wood. Slowly he pulled the paper the rest of the way off of it.

He had been right. He had felt wood. Very nice wood, very delicately carved. It was a beautifully worked, hand crafted picture frame. The quality of the wood or the detail of the work was not what caught his attention however. The frame already contained a picture. A picture that it could not have contained. The picture was one where he had been deployed during a Christmas. Shannon had taken the picture of her and Kelley with the Christmas tree in the background. He used to carry that picture everywhere after she had sent it to him. When he had been blown up in Kuwait he'd had that picture on him. That morning was the last time he saw it. It had been lost in the explosion and never recovered.

Holding the frame with one hand he brought his right hand to his mouth. His vision began to water and the picture started to become blurry. Using his right hand he wiped the tears out of his eyes and moved to lay down on the couch. Once again he grasped the picture with both hands. He dug his fingers into the frame as if not clutching the picture tightly enough might cause it to disappear. The last thing he saw before falling into a deep peaceful sleep was the image of his girls. Happy. On Christmas morning.

THE END