"I want whoever did this to my son to pay for his actions, Director," Senior's raised voice carried clearly across the Hospital reception, attracting several glances, some censorous, others sympathetic. "He told me his job was dangerous, but I never imagined anything like this happening."

"Mr DiNozzo, I completely understand your anger on behalf of your son," Vance was responding. "But right now the most important thing is Special Agent's DiNozzo's welfare. Let's concentrate on getting your boy back to health. As he was injured in the line of duty I can assure you that NCIS will be covering all the medical costs. If there is anything else he needs just let me know. This is my direct number."

"What he needs is to know that the scum who did this to him will face justice," Senior continued to insist. "My son has rope burns on each one of his wrists and a cut on his neck where someone has held a knife to his throat. He could have been killed.."

"Your son is a seasoned federal Agent, Mr DiNozzo," Vance pointed out carefully. "Whilst we are all relieved to have him returned to the fold, you have to understand this is hardly the first time he has put his life on the line in the service of his country."

Senior actually looked genuinely shaken by that, as if he had never fully appreciated the possibility that Junior might one day be killed in the line of duty. But true to form he rallied quickly.

"This wasn't some fire fight, or bomb threat, Director. There's hardly an inch of my son's body without bruises. Yet the Doctor's report said he had no defensive wounds at all. You know what that means?They tied him down and then beat the crap out of him. And if that wasn't bad enough, did you know he was already on the floor when they took out his knee? That bastard kicked him when he was down."

"I have to say, I didn't know that." Vance frowned.

"It wasn't Henderson." Gibbs spoke up.

"What?" Senior blinked.

"Special Agent Gibbs," Vance put in sharply, ever the politician he was probably already thinking about the possible lawsuits, internal investigations, demands for compensation and possible backlash if Gibbs confessed. "I don't think this is the time or the place to .."

"Henderson wasn't responsible for Tony's imjuries." Gibbs ignored him. "I was."

"You?" Senior's expression darkened.

"Not the rope burns or the knife wound," Vance corrrected hastily. "That was all Henderson."

"Yeah," Gibbs didn't take his eyes off Senior. "But the rest of it was me. It was part of maintaining his cover."

"Let me just get this straight," Senior looked in disbelief from Gibbs to Vance. "NCIS is a federal agency, with the resources of the entire US governemtn at it's disposal. And the only way you could come up with to maintain my son's cover was to have his so-callled Boss beat the crap out of him?" He looked pointedly at Vance. "And you knew about this?"

"Mr DiNozzo, when an agent is working undercover, it can be complicated," Shooting a warning glance at Gibbs, Vance tried for damage control. "The situation on the ground can often change dramatically from minute to minute. The teams have to make split second decisions in the interests of operational security and the agent's well being."

"His well being?" Senior spluttered. "My son is lying in a Hospital bed, barely concious, facing weeks of physical therapy and probably scarred for life. Tell me how the hell that benefits his well being?"

"I know," Gibbs wasn't about to tell Senior that Tony had all but ordered him to target his weakest point. Or that his knee hadn't been all that bad until his Agent had decided to take a header over the balcony. "I'm sorry about that."

"You're sorry?" Senior visably bristled, not noticing the startled glance which passed across Vance's face as he witnessed Gibbs actually apologising for something. "What good will sorry be if my boy has to spend the rest of his life walking with a cane?"

Gibbs struggled to keep his face impassive. He didn't much care if Senior had a good opinion of him or not. It wasn't as if he had any great respect for the man's morals, or his parenting skills. He only tried to keep things civil for Tony's sake. But the thought that his Senior Field Agent might be permanently disabled shook him to the core.

"It's still early days," Vance was speaking. "And Special Agent DiNozzo had proved quite remarkable at beating the odds in the past. Let's not borrow trouble. And whatever the outcome, I can assure you that there will always be a position open at NCIS for an investigator of your son's calibre."

"I don't have time for this right now," Senior declared. "My son needs me. But you will be hearing from my lawyers."

"I know you like to think that you are above protocal and proceedure, Gibbs," Vance said as he watched Senior head towards the elevator. "But I think you may have crossed the line this time."

"Tony knew what was at stake," Gibbs pointed out. "He won't let his father press charges. The reputation of the Agency is safe, Leon."

"You may not beleive this, but right now the reputation of the Agency isn't uppermost in my mind. I was rather thinking about how this whole situation is going to affect your relationship with DiNozzo, especailly if this does mean the end of his career as a field agent."

"We'll work it out."

Gibbs didn't deny that there would be some bumps in the road ahead. But he and DiNozzo had bumped heads before and they had always got past it. Talking wasn't exactly either of their strong suits, but he knew they both understood he had only done what was required to keep Tony safe. He figured that during his rehabiliation, when he was helping with his exercises, making sure he ate right and kicking his ass when he needed it, that Tony wouldn't be left in any doubt just how proud he was of the younger man.

"You do know that DiNozzo's father is in the process of renting a place here in DC so that he can move his son in with him whilst he recupeerates?" Vance asked.

"A suite at the Adams House?," Gibbs shook his head. "Tony will never go for that."

He knew that even putting aside the episode in Maui, Tony had spent too much times growing up, being cared for by Housekeepers, fed by Catering Staff and watched over by people paid to look out for him, to want to spend his recuperation in a Hotel. Especially, when he knew there was a room in Casa de Gibbs with his name on it.

"No, I think this is an actual house," Vance surprised him. "Maybe, you should ask DiNozzo about it."

If Gibbs was honest, it took much longer than he'd expected to get a chance to talk to DiNozzo by himself. Senior had planted himself by his son's bedside, reading extracts to him out of magazines, watching his favourite TV shows with him. As Gibbs kept his silent vigil out in the hallway, sipping the coffee he had liberated from the Doctor's lounge, he realised that Senior really was trying to bridge the gulf with his son, in his own way.

"Jessica Alba sure looks hot in these pictures. Didn't you used to have a thing about her?"

"Hey, it's the guy with the red Ferarrai. I remember how you used to love this show as a kid. What was his name again?"

Somewhat to his surprise, he also realised that Senior wasn't comepletely clueless when it came to his only offspring. It had seemed like the worse timing in the world when Senior ducked into the bathroom, just as the Nurse arrived to administer DiNozzo's evening medication. As Gibbs heard his Agent lauch into his usual patter, he could just see the younger man, palming the pills, so he could keep a clear head, knowing full well that the pain would keep him from the rest he so desperately needed.

"What happened to Sherry?" Gibbs could hear the pout in Senior's voice as he emerged from the bathroom. "I was looking forward to getting to know her better."

"Dad, she's almost young enough to be your grand daughter."

"Chance would be a fine thing," Senior huffed. "Are you sure you and Ziva ..?"

"Quite sure, Dad."

"You actually take those pills she brought you?" Senior asked unexpectedly.

"Of course, I did." Tony protested.

"Let's try that again. Did you take them, meaning you took them and put them away in that side table there? Or did you take them, meaning you swallowed them down like you were supposed to?"

"Er yes?" Tony offered.

Gibbs listened as Senior pulled open the drawer of the side table, heard the rattle of the pills as he pulled out the small plastic cup and the heavy silence as he presented it to his son, no doubt with a pointed look.

"How did you even know?" Tony protested.

"You were just the same when you were a kid," Senior's smug was reassurance enough that Tony had obediently swalllowed the pills. "Always wanting to tough it out when you were hurting, instead of taking your medication, just because of what happened that one time you broke your arm falling out of the tree and then went to Amanda Williams birthday party."

"Dad!" Tony hiissed, sounding utterly mortified. "You promised we would never, ever, mention that again."

"I'm just saying, Junior," He could hear Senior's smile. "I know my boy."

By the time Gibbs finally got his opportunity to speak to Tony alone, his mind was already half made up. as soon as Senior was temporary absence he slipped into the chair by the bedside of his fitfully sleeping Agent, Gibbs took advantage of the situation to place a gentle hand on his forehead, watching with satisfaction as DiNozzo instantly stilled under his calming touch.

"Atta boy." Gibbs allowed himself a soft smile.

"B Boss?" Tony's voice asked groggily, even as his eyes cracked open. And even though Gibbs knew that the beaming smile which spread across his Agent's features was, at least in part, drug related, he couldn't help but smile back in the face of such unmitigated enthusiasim. "Good to see you, Boss. Missed you, Boss. Love you, Boss. Did I say that out loud? Sorry, feeling a littttttttttttttle woosey here. Think I might have taken a pill or three."

"How you holding up?" Gibbs asked.

"OK, I think," Tony frowned, clearly making an effort to concentrate. "These drugs must be really good because it seemed like my Dad was just here. And not only because he wanted to borrow money or date my new girlfriend, but just hanging out with me. Werid, huh?"

"Werid good or werid bad?" Gibbs asked.

"Oh way good," Tony grinned. "Just like I always dreamed of when I was a kid. Kinda sappy, huh?"

"Not really," Gibbs assured him. "Your Dad's been here all day. Abby just took him down to the Hospital canteen to get him something to eat."

"Really? He actually loves me enough to eat Hospital food?" Tony blinked. Then continued more tentatively. "So, the house, with the gym so I can keep up with my rehab exercises and the pool so I can work out without putting a strain on my knee? With the Michelin starred Chef to cook my meals and my own room with Egyptian Cotton sheets, the whole cable package and a private jaccuzi? That's all gonna happen?"

"Guess, he really does want to look out for you." Gibbs admitted.

"Wow." Tony looked dazed. "That's .. wow."

Gibbs sighed, even allowing for the impact of the drugs and the strain of the past few weeks, there was no denying how much the young man before him ached to be the centre of his father's world. And despite his reservations, Senior hadn't done too shabby a job so far. And his Agent more than deserved this chance to reconnect with what remained of his biological family.

"Yeah, I guess it is," With an effort, Gibbs rose to his feet, forcing himself to remember that he was DiNozzo's Boss, not his family. Even if his hand did itch to tap him under the chin, or tousle his hair. He swallowed hard and sucked it up. "Watch your six, DiNozzo."

"Allllways, Boss."

The last thing Gibbs saw was the lazy wave and the beautific smile as he headed resolutely out of the door. He was, after all only DiNozzo's Boss. Not .. anything else. No matter how much they had both come to rely upon each other. Even after, all those time he had picked DiNozzo up, dusted him down and pointed him in the right direction, or those numerous occcasions, when he had gone off half cocked and only DiNozzo had known him well enough to come chasing after him and kick his butt.

If his actions were about to cost DiNozzo his career as a field agent then the very least he could do was give him every chance to claw something back by taking full advantage of this opportunity to salvage his relationship with his father. Gibbs own feelings didn't come into it at all. After all, being a good parent wasn't about what you wanted but more about doing what was best for your kids. No matter what.

Damn, but he hadn't thought that being the good guy would hurt so much, though.