Ahh! Only one more chapter to go! Thank you for all the reviews so far, I'm so glad everyone likes the story.

Tony opened his eyes to the gentle beeping of the heart monitor and the calm blue walls that screamed hospital. All the memories of the fight came flooding back and he looked down his body to catalogue his injuries. He could feel the tightness in his chest which told him he had a couple of bruised ribs from the fight. As he swallowed he could feel the bruises on his face and the cut lip. There was also bruises on his knuckles from where he'd repeatedly punched the guys that had killed Rick Yates.

"You're going to have a nice scar," A familiar voice spoke. Tony looked up and saw Gibbs sitting in a chair next to his bed. His eyes darted to the young figure asleep in the chair next to Gibbs. He frowned.

"How am I doing?" Tony croaked, still groggy from still waking up.

"You lost a lot of blood at the scene and the knife nicked your liver, they repaired the damage in surgery, you'll be just fine DiNozzo," Even though Tony was going to be fine he could still see the worry in Gibb's eyes that told him how close he came to dying.

"What about him?"

Gibbs turned to look at Jake and then back at Tony, he smiled, "A couple of bruises." He shrugged.

"What's he doing here?"

"Hasn't left your side."

"Really? Why?"

"Beats me DiNozzo, seems like the kid likes you."

"I like him too," Tony answered honestly.

Gibb's lip quirked as he held down a smile, "I've noticed."

Tony stared at Jake, curled up in the uncomfortable chair, a hospital blanket placed over him. He looked so much younger when he was asleep; there was no defences, no wall to hide behind. Just a fifteen year old kid fast asleep. "Boss?" Tony whispered.

"Yes?"

"What would happen if…I mean do you think I could…..would he?….I don't know," Tony shook his head, "Forget it."

Gibbs knew what Tony was talking about and wasn't about to forget it, "You want to give him a home."

"He probably wouldn't want it; he'll run the first chance he gets."

"The first chance he got, he was still sitting here waiting for you to wake up," Gibbs argued.

"I work long hours, am frequently in harms way, who says I could look after him anyway."

"He's fifteen! He's already raised. He needs a bed to sleep in, food to eat and someone to be there for him," He reasoned.

"What about his drinking?"

"Ever heard of AA?" Gibbs raised an eyebrow, "Why are you thinking of every reason not to do this?"

"Because this is me we're talking about," Tony shifted in his bed and winced as he pulled his stitches slightly.

Gibbs stood up and walked to Tony's bedside, "I can't think of anyone who needs him more than you, just the way he needs you," He spoke honestly. He'd watched the two of them together. They were so alike that Gibbs wondered if they weren't related. He knew that Tony was the only person that could keep Jake in line and Jake could be the only person who could mature Tony.

"Who are you and what have you done with my boss?" Tony joked, glad for the lighter moment.

Gibbs ignored that, "Talk to him….before I kick your ass for taking on three guys without back up."

Tony smiled, "There he is."

Gibbs turned to Jake and noticed him waking up, "I'm going for coffee," He said before walking out the room.

Jake opened his eyes and instantly turned to Tony, "You're awake."

"So are you," Tony replied.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm not in any pain if that's what you're asking, I have morphine running through my veins and I'm gonna savour every minute of it."

"That's good."

"Yes, how have you been doing?"

"Good, good," Jake nodded.

"Gibbs tells me you haven't left this room."

Jake sighed, "He's right."

"Why?" Jake shrugged, "Oh no, we're not going back to this again, no shrugging allowed," Tony shook his head.

"Well what do you want me to say?"

"Why haven't you run?"

"Maybe I'm tired of running," Tony's eye's snapped to Jake's and they stared at each other in complete silence. Their staring competition was interrupted when a nurse came in to check Tony's meds. Tony smiled at the cute nurse and thanked her. Once she'd left Tony looked at Jake again.

"I have something to offer you."

"Yeah? What's that? You'll ring social services for me? Find me a nice home?"

Tony shook his head, "I've already found you a home."

Jake's eyes widened, "Where?"

"I have a spare bedroom…it's filled with gym equipment at the moment but we can empty it out then it's yours, you can do what you like with it. I work long hours which means you'd pretty much have the apartment to yourself but that's okay cos I have cable and a DVD collection to rival a video store, I can't cook that well but I have all the best takeouts on speed-dial… of course you'd have to go to school but other than that…." Tony trailed off.

Jake looked at Tony with confusion, "Are you asking me to live with you?"

Tony didn't answer the question, "Then there's the fact that I'm a trouble magnet and that I'll probably be spending a lot of time in this place recovering from gunshot wounds, concussions, knife wounds etcetera."

Jake smiled, "I can live with that,"

Tony turned serious, "I have one condition."

"Name it."

"You have to attend AA, if you're going to live in my house you're going to live by my rules," Jake stayed silent, "I'm offering you a second chance Jake, for you to start over again…..no crappy living arrangements with parents who don't love you……no sleeping in doorways and running from the police. I can't help you if you won't help yourself."

Jake nodded, "I understand."

"Good, now I need more sleep."

"I'll be right here."

"I know you will be."

"I'm gonna be here for a while Jake."

"I know."

"You can't stay here until I leave."

"Why not!"

"Those chairs aren't comfortable, trust me I know….get Gibbs to give you my house key….If I get out of here and find my apartment missing a TV or a CD player then I'm going to hunt you down and kick your ass," Tony mumbled as he slowly drifted off to sleep.

"Yeah yeah," Jake smiled, "Go to sleep"