Hey guys! Sorry about the delay, i had to babysit three little kids unexpectually. (4, 5 and 7) and it kind of took away my free time and all.

Thanks for the reviews! i loved them. You guys are great as usual!

Enjoy your reading!

Two hours later, Tony and Gibbs walked through the front door. They walked into the living room and at that moment Tony was almost attacked by Abby, but she stopped a feet away from him.

''Oh, my god'' She breathed a whisper, as she looked him over. Tony's arm was in a sling and his lip was swollen and stitched up. His eye and jaw was beginning to bruise. ''Are you alright?''

''I'm fine Abby, it's nothing I'm not used to'' Tony said. Abby didn't notice there was a deeper meaning behind it, but Gibbs did and when he looked at Olivia, he knew that she did too. She looked at him concerned.

''Sit, DiNozzo'' Gibbs ordered. And Tony plopped down on the couch. Satisfied, Gibbs turned to Abby. ''Abby are you staying for dinner or are you going home?''

''I don't know... not sure'' Abby honestly said, glancing at Tony.

Tony sighed. ''Has she taking good care of you?'' He asked Olivia.

''Yes, Tony'' She answered with a child-like voice and chuckled. ''She's been good. I think Mason approves''

He took a moment of silence and then turned to Abby again. ''Well then. That deserves a home cooked meal from the bossman'' He smiled at her.

…

The rest of the afternoon, they had more light conversations about funny things that had happened during cases. Abby could tell them the best, Olivia had decided that. The woman was so excited about it, it made you smile instantly. She did however notice the hesitance. Abby kept looking at Tony for permission to tell it, while Tony nodded.

Now it was after eight. Abby had gone home and Olivia was in bed, after she and Tony had brought Mason to his... Kelly's room.

Gibbs was sitting in the living room. He was thinking about what Tony had told him. He would show him something? He really didn't know what it was. And now he was still waiting for Tony to return. It was half an hour ago that Tony had put the little kid to bed and he still hadn't returned. Was his SFA hiding again? That's what his gut told him.

He stood up and quietly made his way upstairs. He quickly checked on Olivia, who slept peacefully. He walked over to his bed room and knocked, before opening it. To his surprise Tony wasn't there. He turned to the other door and opened Kelly's room slowly.

The first thing in sight was the crib against Kelly's bed. He smiled as the little kid slept peacefully like his mother. He opened the door further and looked around. There was Tony. Sitting on the window seat, leaning back against the wall, looking out of the window. He looked far away in thought and his mouth was moving. He was talking to himself. Gibbs noticed the dark object in Tony's hands. He was turning it constantly, a nervous habit.

For a couple of minutes Gibbs just watched him, trying to find out how long it would take for Tony to notice him. But after several minutes Tony still hadn't noticed him. He took a couple of steps and Tony's words became audible now.

''Broke my promise to you Shannon...'' Tony whispered. ''I promised not to get into fights outside of work...'' He looked down at the wallet in his hand. ''And I don't know if I can keep my promise and show this... gonna hurt him... makes it too real''

''I won't break'' Gibbs spoke up quietly. Tony's head jerked in his direction and looked shocked and nervous at him. He walked over and sat down opposite from Tony also leaning back against the wall. He pulled up his legs and laid his arms on his knees. ''What will make what too real?'' Tony began to twist the wallet harder and looked out of the window again. Gibbs looked down at it and narrowed his eyes. He decided on the oldest method to get Tony to talk. Using as few words as possible. ''That new?''

''No'' Tony answered quietly.

''Old?''

''Yes''

''How old?''

''Don't know... at least eighteen years''

''How can you not know?''

''It wasn't new when I got it''

''So it was a gift?''

''Yes''

''From who?''

''Shannon'' At that Tony's eyes went wide when he realized he was tricked by Gibbs old game again. He watched from the corner of his eye and saw Gibbs' eye widen slightly too, before he recovered himself and continued.

''She bought that for you?'' He asked.

Tony sighed. There was no way he could get out of this 'game'. ''No''

And that's when it hit Gibbs. He knew it. Knew that wallet. But he wanted Tony to tell him. ''She already had it''

''Yes''

''Was it hers?''

''No''

''Then who's was it?'' He asked although he knew already.

Tony paused and then sighed. ''Yours'' He finally extended his arm and handed the wallet to Gibbs.

Gibbs studied the worn out wallet. Besides the few cracks, the brown leather was well taken care off. He rubbed his thumb over the three letters. ''This explains why I couldn't find it''

Tony's eyes went to Gibbs again. ''You've been looking for it?''

''Only for a week or so'' Gibbs shrugged. ''Thought she had finally thrown it away''

Tony frowned. ''Why would she do that?''

''Because I told her to'' Gibbs answered. ''But she wouldn't listen. Claimed it was still good and it deserved a good life. She talked about it like it was still alive'' Tony just shrugged. ''Didn't see it before''

''Didn't use it after I came to know you were her husband. Would be a little weird to explain''

''Yeah I guess'' Gibbs nodded. He looked down at the wallet and frowned. ''Why would this make it so real, it would hurt me?''

Silence. Then... ''It isn't the wallet that would make things more real''

''What would?'' Gibbs pushed.

''you know that, I know them. You know I stayed here with them'' Gibbs nodded. ''Talking about them makes it more real?'' Again Gibbs nodded. ''Would seeing it making it even more real?''

Gibbs looked at him, blank. Seeing it? He narrowed his eyes. Tony gestured to give back the wallet and Gibbs obliged. Tony again twisted the wallet in his hand, while Gibbs waited for whatever Tony was going to do.

Tony sighed and opened his wallet, with one hand. It was difficult and the trembling fingers didn't make it easier. Why the hell was this so difficult for him? He pulled out three pieces and Gibbs had a gut feeling of what it was. Tony looked at the first one for a moment before handing it to Gibbs.

Gibbs turned it around and gasped silently as he looked at the picture. It was taken from the side. There she was. Shannon. Just sitting on the dining room table, laughing. It was one of those shots when you don't know the picture is taken, until it's too late. She was still wearing her nightgown, with a bathroom over it and a cup of coffee in her hands

Shannon. Laughing. About something the young man who sat across from her had said. The young man. Tony. Gibbs recognized him immediately. He was thinner and younger of course. He didn't look like a man, even when he knew he was nineteen. He looked like a teenager of fifteen or sixteen. The side of his face had lines, laughing lines, but also lines that showed how tired he was.

Slowly Gibbs slid his finger of Shannon's figure. Tony was right, it made everything more real. He saw them and he could just hear them laughing. ''Wow'' He whispered.

Tony had been studying Gibbs. He saw so many emotions going through over the older mans face. Shock, surprise, disbelieve, fear, sadness. Happiness? But 'Wow' wasn't the reaction he was expecting.

''Wow?'' Tony asked as if he didn't hear that right.

Gibbs nodded. ''You are right, makes it more real'' He agreed. He looked up to Tony. ''What was so funny?''

''I don't even remember'' Tony shook his head. ''We sat like that everyday... since I could get out of bed. Didn't even know Kelly had taken the picture until I opened the wallet when I got back the University''

Gibbs nodded again and gave back the picture. He looked at Tony's hand. He still had two other pictures in his hand. ''Next''

Tony looked down for a moment and then gave another one. Gibbs looked at it and Tony could have sworn he saw tears welling up in the older mans eyes.

Kelly. His daughter. Beautiful little Kelly. Flying in the air, with a great expression on her face. He closed his eyes as he remembered her giggles every time he did the same thing Tony had done there. Throwing her up in the air. She loved that.

''She loved it when I did that'' Tony said to him.

Gibbs opened his eyes. ''Yeah I know'' He winched at the crack in his voice.

Tony leaned forward and snatched the picture back. 'Told you it would hurt you''

''Yes it does'' Gibbs admitted, he didn't know why he did what he did after that.

Before Tony could lean back again, He was wrapped up in... Gibbs? What? What the hell was happening? This had to be a dream. That's it. He was dreaming and he would wake up and he would be in his bed— Gibbs' bed.

But it wasn't a dream. It was real. He was really wrapped up in Gibbs. A noise came from next to him and he registered something. Sniffing sound. That couldn't be right, could it? Gibbs was crying? Shit! What had he done?! He had hurt Gibbs. Broken him? Dammit! What should he do now?

''I'm sorry'' Tony whispered and did the only thing he could think of. He wrapped his free arm around Gibbs. ''This is so weird'' He thought. He was in a hug with Gibbs. The rock hard, no softy and no crap Marine Leroy Jethro Gibbs and the man was crying. He couldn't help himself anymore either. ''I'm so sorry'' His voice cracked as a single tear escaped his right eye.

After what felt like hours, but were just five minutes, the two men pulled back. It was weird to see Gibbs' unreadable face, that showed no sign of emotion with dried tears on his cheeks. ''This was once and never again'' He stated.

Tony couldn't help the laughed that escaped him. ''Gotcha Boss''.

''Not your boss here'' Gibbs replied.

''Right...'' Tony said then a grin spread across his face. ''What are you exactly?''

He had fully expected the gentle hit on his head, but he didn't expected to get an actual answer with it. ''Friend, family, father'' He said serious.

Gibbs looked down at the wallet that had fallen between them. Three pictures lying around it. Three... He had seen two. He reached for the smallest one. He hadn't seen that one, but before he could grab it, Tony snatched it from under his hand.

''That's not Shannon or Kelly'' He stated a little harshly. Holding it against his chest.

Gibbs raised his eyebrows at the younger man, just staring at him. Tony hated when he did that. He couldn't get his eyes away from Gibbs and he was going to give in.

They sat there for five minutes before he sighed. Yup he gave in. He handed the picture to Gibbs. Gibbs just stared at it. It was a much older photo than even with Shannon and Kelly's. It was outside and the woman in the picture he recognized, but he didn't know her.

She had long blond hair, pulled into a ponytail. She stood behind a park bench, leaning forward and her arms wrapped around a blond boy who couldn't be older then seven years old, who sat on the bench. Both had a identical grin on their face. The grin. The 1000 watt smile, but it was different from the one he had now. Then it looked real, now it's one of he defenses.

Gibbs looked up at Tony. Tony had changed so much in those years when he turned from a little boy. into a teenager and into man. Back then he looked exactly like the woman in the picture.

''It didn't matter how much she had to... protect me. When we would go out... she was the happiest person alive'' Tony explained. ''You couldn't see that she was hurting at home. You couldn't see she wasn't happy. She just played along with me''

''She had a mask'' Gibbs agreed. ''You like you have'' He studied the picture. ''She was beautiful''

A smile appeared on Tony's face. ''I know right?'' It disappeared as soon as it came. ''Can I have it back now?''

Gibbs narrowed his eyes at his SFA. The edge in his voice, putting him off guard. Tony was still hurting about the death of his mother. More that he would ever admit. Gibbs felt it was too much for one evening. He had heard the hurt when Tony screamed at Senior and he knew that it would take time.

He handed back the picture and ordered, ''Go to sleep, Tony''

Tony nodded and with help he put the pictures back into the wallet. Then he slowly slid of the window seat. He stopped by the crib and studied the little boy for a moment, before walking out of the room. ''Goodnight, Gibbs''

''Night'' Gibbs said and Tony closed the door behind him.

Gibbs however stayed in the window seat. He hated that everything came at once for Tony. One moment he was just Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, sitting on his desk and the other moment he was Antony D. DiNozzo Jr. Neglected and abused with so much hurting history, with a homeless friend and a dad who decides to show up.

As Gibbs thought back. He noticed that every year, there was something that would effect Tony in that way. Not just little things. No. With Tony it would come in with a BOOM.

''Can't we just have one year of no messed up anything?'' He asked to no one in particular.

''It will be alright''

Gibbs eyes shot from the window and looked around the room. Huh? He could've sworn he heard something. He shook his head. He was tired too. But the time was telling him that Mason would be up on less then half an hour.

He stared out of the window. The night was clear and you couldn't count the stars even with all the fingers in this house right now. He loved that

Tony was right. Seeing him with his girls just concluded it. He could see it now. Not only in pictures, but he could see Tony having conversation's or him the kitchen, throwing Kelly into the air. Baking pancakes or whatever. It made him wanna be there even more.

He kept staring out of the window, until he heard Mason stir and he began the nightly routine.

…

the next morning came early for Tony. His head was aching and his hand throbbing. He sat on the edge of the bed and thought back to last night. He knew it would hurt Gibbs, but he didn't expect him to break down silently with him still in the room. But he guessed you can expect everything with the relationship they had for the last couple of weeks.

He had said it, Gibbs had said it. Gibbs was his father. Not Senior. Senior. God he only hoped that that monster would stay away. Did he? He wanted him away. Far away, because now everything was in the open and it was all his fault. His life was mostly good. He was enjoying it for the most part, except for the little issue at work that is then. But now everything came at once and it was tiring. He rubbed a hand over his face, avoiding his left side.

''Calm down, young man''

Tony's eyes went to the door and frowned. He thought he heard a giggle, but Olivia wasn't there. He shook his head. ''Must be more tired then I thought'' He thought, but he found himself taking a deep breath, calming himself down before he could get angry at the world again.

He had stuff to do today. Last night, lying in bed, he couldn't get Senior's words out of his head, and he wasn't thinking about Shannon and Kelly for a change. It was the reason Senior came there in the first place. Business. He knew it was because of work. Just not the sort of work he thought, Senior not so rich anymore was a good payback.

But he didn't understand what Senior said about another bank account under his name. He only had one. He was sure of it. He didn't open another one recently.

He was glad that he had gone by his apartment and picked up some clothes and other stuff last Friday, after he had gone to visit Shannon and Kelly. He looked at the alarm and saw it was just over seven o'clock.

He pulled himself into a sitting position, winching at the ache he felt. His head and hand hurt, but for the rest he was just sore all over. He grabbed his laptop from under his wallet, cellphone and keys and opened it. When it was ready he went to his Internet account and logged in, to just check. He hadn't done that in while.

When he did that, just like he thought. There were no transfers of any amount of money to his account. Senior was wrong. But why was his gut still crunching then?

The sound of Mason crying reached his ears. He knew it didn't came from the bedroom and someone was already downstairs. He closed his laptop again and grabbed his cellphone instead.

He dialed a number and waited for it to answer.

''McGee'' McGee answered and Tony could hear that his mouth was full with something, that he was eating.

''Good morning McBreakfast'' Tony tried to greet him cheerfully.

''Tony?'' McGee asked surprised. ''Are you okay?''

''Yeah? Why wouldn't I be?'' He asked back. ''Please if Abby talked...'' He thought.

''Well it's just, you took time off and Gibbs did the same. We sort of got an explanation from Gibbs but not really, you know how he is. But it made me and Ziva worried'' McGee explained, then added. ''Although she doesn't show worry, much''

Tony grunted at that dismissively. Of all three coworkers, she was the least he wanted to talk to or about right now. ''I'm fine... well... I will be. Are you at the office yet?''

''No, not yet. On my way though. Why?''

''Well I sort of come to know that there are two bank accounts under my name, but I don't have a second one. I thought maybe you could find some stuff out, now your on cold cases and all'' Tony half asked.

''If you don't know anything about a second bank account than how—?'' McGee was confused.

''It's a very long story'' Tony cut him off. ''Look, I will explain things if it's true and I do have a second one. Just please, do this for me. It's bothering me''

It was silent for a moment. Tony had startled McGee with using 'Please'. It was so Un-Tony to sound so desperate. ''Does Gibbs know?'' He asked eventually.

''He knows that someone claimed that I have one... he doesn't know that I ask you for help... yet''

Again a pause then a groan. ''I'll see what I can find''

''Thanks, Tim. I owe you'' Tony replied honestly appreciative.

''You sure you alright? You sound tired'' McGee asked again.

''Had a fight—'' McGee started to protest, but Tony cut him off. ''… But nothing for you guys to worry about. Just sore''

''You know... You and Gibbs are too much a like'' McGee told him. Tony chuckled at that, ignoring the pain in his head. ''I appreciate it that you ask me for help after all that has been said'' McGee told him.

''I'm trying Tim. But with all that has been going on, it's not my top priority''

''I'm at the office'' McGee informed. ''I'll call you back when I know something''

''Thanks again'' Tony said. ''Bye''

''Bye''

Ton hung up the phone. He felt a little guilty that he withheld that he was more than a little sore. He placed the cellphone on the nightstand again, got up and walked into the bathroom to get ready for the day.

So that's it for today! i know it's a weird time to update, it 1:15 am here right not... but hey i had time! :D

What do you think? Leave a review you know how much i love those. Inspire me! :D

-X- Leonie