A/N: I'm back! Yes, I'm still alive! So this is the next chapter :) hope it turns out to be as long as it looks on paper! :) I am soo sorry about taking months to update! But, I have the disease called Procrastination. It affects the person I am and how I act. Heehee. Anyways, all jokes aside, I am sooo sorry :( Please don't come after me with paper-clips! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own NCIS or its characters – unless a life-sized cardboard cut-out of Mark Harmon counts? :P

RIP Ralph Waite :( You are dearly missed 3

What's The Point?

Chapter 12

Over the next week or two, Tony refused to be in a room by himself for more than a few minutes at time, scared he would hurt himself. Tony knew it was stupid, but he couldn't help it – it was like all of his many insecurities were controlling him. He wouldn't even go into a bathroom that had anything he could use to cut in it. Whenever he had to shave, he left the bathroom door wide open (with him wearing sweats or a towel of course). Tony was now dozing on the couch, with Gibbs sitting across from him on a recliner. Gibbs was thinking back to the conversation they had had the day after Tony had last cut himself.

Flashback

Tony was sat at the kitchen table, his leg jittering up and down nervously. He knew Gibbs would want to talk about last night, and what he had said. Tony was still angry at himself for letting his feelings about Gibbs slip in front of the man himself. He felt a hand connect with his head, but it lacked the usual enthusiasm.

"You're thinking too hard." Gibbs told him. Tony gave him a weak smile in return.

"Sorry, Boss." He offered weakly, rubbing the back of his head. He continued to push the cereal around in the bowl that the older had dumped in front of him.

"Eat." Gibbs ordered. Tony continued to push the mush around.

"Not really hungry, Boss." Tony pushed the bowl, giving up on eating – or attempting to eat. He slumped in his chair, dropping an arm loosely over his stomach. He could feel Gibbs staring at him. He sighed, and said quietly,

"Can you get it over with?" Tony looked up cautiously, and saw Gibbs staring at him, confused.

"Get over with what, Tony?" Gibbs asked, generally confused. Tony looked down again.

"Yell at me, hit me, kick me out…" Tony trailed off.

"Why would do any of that?" Gibbs asked, even though Tony was sure Gibbs knew what.

"For what I said last night…cutting…"

"Tony," Gibbs wasn't even sure how to say what he wanted to say. He wasn't good at all this emotional crap – which explains the three ex-wives. "I'm not going to do any of those things. And I never will." Gibbs promise.

"Headslaps." Tony pointed out, smirking. Gibbs smiled back.

"To get you back on track. And I don't actually hurt you. Do I?" he asked. Tony shook his head for no.

"I always saw it as a sign of affection." Tony grinned.

"Good." Gibbs told him, before turning serious again. "Tony, I'm not gonna pretend I didn't hear what you said last night." Gibbs saw Tony's cheeks flood red. "I love you too Tony." He saw a flicker of hope appear in the emerald eyes in front of him. "But, not like that." He said softly. Tony looked down.

"Oh." The younger man said sadly. Tony felt a calloused hand on his knee. He looked up slightly, and saw Gibbs kneeling in front of him.

"I love you like a father loves his child, Tony." Tears formed in Tony's green orbs.

"Really?" he managed to choke out.

"Yes, really. Son." Gibbs told him. Tony could no longer keep the tears in at being called 'son'. He cried into Gibbs' chest, not believing that somebody really loved him.

End of flashback

It had taken a while, but Gibbs had finally made it clear enough to Tony that he really did want him. There was still time s when Tony needed reassurance, but Gibbs would happily give him that. Tony stirred on the couch, and blinked owlishly at his boss.

"Hey, dad." He said, smiling a little. Gibbs' heart swelled with pride again, After their little 'heart-to-heart', Tony had shyly asked Gibbs if he could call him dad, which Gibbs had happily said yes to, as long as he didn't say it too loud at the office, because Vance would probably split them up, probably sending Tony to be Agent Afloat again.

"Hey, yourself. How you feeling?" Gibbs asked.

"Good, I guess." Tony replied, stretching. Gibbs stood up, ruffling his son's hair as he passed on the way to the kitchen.

"How about I make us some lunch?" he asked. He didn't miss the way that Tony scrunched up his face at the thought of food.

"Err…no thanks, I'm good." Tony said nervously. Gibbs looked at Tony, concern written on his face as he knelt down in front of him.

"You okay?" he asked. Gibbs had noticed that a lot thinner than he was a few weeks ago. Tony nodded, breaking eye contact with the Marine, and looked at his hands.

"Yeah, just…just not hungry." He said quietly. Gibbs tilted Tony's chin up with his thumb and index finger.

"Son," he said softly. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" Tony gave him a small nod.

"Any you would tell me if something was wrong?" another nod.

"Well, you have to eat something. How 'bout I make you a bowl of soup?" Tony sighed, knowing Gibbs would call Ducky if he did not eat.

"Only a tiny bit?" he asked quietly. Gibbs frowned slightly, but nodded.

"Sure, son." Gibbs disappeared into the kitchen, and a few minutes later, he came back with a small bowl of soup for the young brunette. Tony slowly moved into a sitting position, eyeing the sceptically.

"It's not poisoned, promise." Gibbs pressed the warm bowl into Tony's hands. "Eat up." He said gently. Gibbs' frown deepened when Tony pushed the bowl away after only a few spoonful's, leaving more of the soup, even though it was a very small bowl of the stuff.

"Sorry, dad." Tony mumbled, moving a hand to rest on his stomach soothingly. "I can't eat anymore." He looked down. Gibbs kissed Tony's forehead lightly.

"It's okay, kiddo. As long as you have eaten something." He took the bowl back into the kitchen. When he came back, he saw Tony making his way to the stairs.

"I'm gonna go read a book, or watch a movie in my room." Tony told him. Gibbs nodded.

"Okay. I'll be in the basement if you need me." Tony nodded and made his way to his room. He was now living with Gibbs permanently. They had put most of his stuff in storage, apart from his book, movies, TV, clothes and movies. When he got to his room, he waited until he could hear the sounds of hand-tools before putting on a movie. He pressed play and went into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. He got to his knees and lifted the porcelain lid. He brought to finger to his mouth and shoved them down his throat, forcing himself to bring up the small amount of food he had eaten just minutes before, hoping to hell that his dad could not hear him.

A/N: Ta-da! What do you think? I don't know how I feel about this chapter…well, let me know in reviews?

R.I.P to Ralph Waite

June 22, 1928

February 13, 2014