Chapter 14

Tony has been living happily with Gibbs for two months when they see Mrs Courtney Travers again. She walks up to the door to their house and knocks. Tony opens the door, covered in flour but sporting a huge smiles. 'Da-' As he catches sight of Travers his face falls. 'Mrs Travers.'

'Hello Tony.' She smiles and chuckles. 'Don't worry, I'm not here to take you away from Agent Gibbs. Just the opposite in fact.' Tony looks at her suspiciously but lets her in anyway. 'May I ask why you are covered in flour?'

'Me and Abs had a flour fight.' Tony grins as he leads her to the kitchen.

'Tony.' Abby whines 'We were only just starting… err I mean finishing.' She amends hastily after a look from Gloria. Gloria signs something to the two kids.

'You want us to wash up.' Tony says proudly. Gloria nods and makes shooing gestures. Tony grins and rushes off. Abby loiters.

'He's getting better.' Abby states to her mother before running after Tony.

'A quick learner?' Travers asks Gloria.

'Very quick.' Gloria turns to the oven and places a couple of trays of brownies and a cake tin into the oven. She turns and faces the social worker. 'You don't know sign then?'

'Was never any good at learning languages.'

'Not to be rude, but why are you here?'

'Need to sort a couple of things out. Nothing too serious.'

'Like what?' Gibbs sneaks in surprising Travers but not Gloria.

'Guardians for the unlikely situation that the both of you die. Abby will benefit from it as well.'

'Already sorted.' Gibbs states. 'Ducky, Director Morrow and a couple of my marine buddies, are the guardians in waiting.'

'We need a copy of the paperwork.'

'We filed it in before I left the office today. A copy should be winging it's way to land on your desk in the morning.' Gibbs looks over Travers' head to make eye contact with Gloria. 'The tykes?' He signs.

'Washing up.' She signs back. Gibbs gestures to the kitchen around them, and the flour coating most of the surfaces. 'Flour fight.' The agent rolls his eyes just as Tony bursts into the room with fresh clothes on and damp hair.

'DADDY!' He barrels into his father and the two of them hug tightly. Travers and Gloria both smile at the pair. Tony wriggles loose from Gibbs' grip. 'Can I put your gun away please.' Travers raises her eyebrows. 'Please daddy.'

'Well.' Gibbs hesitates.

'I promise only to place it into its box and lock it.' Tony salutes Gibbs with a scout salute.

'That doesn't count. You aren't a scout.' Gibbs removes his sidearm from his holster and removes the magazine and makes sure that none of the bullets still reside in the gun.

'Is that wise?' Travers asks as the father hands his son the gun and magazine.

'Straight to the box and lock it.'

'Yes sir.' Tony carefully carries the gun to the safe box in the living room, he cautiously lays both on the table before unlocking and opening the box. He picks up the gun and lays it in the velvet lining and empties the magazine into a box of bullets carefully placing each one. He them lays the magazine in it's place beside the main body of the gun and closes the lid. He spins the dial to lock and before placing the entire box in its place on the shelf. He spins round and beams up at his father, before his eyes narrow suspiciously. 'You did that because she's here didn't you?' Tony folds his arms and does his best to imitate the Gibbs stare. Gloria hands Gibbs an opened beer. He take a long drink before…

'Yup.' Gibbs places the bottle on the table and walks over to his son. 'You aren't going anywhere.' He pauses 'Where's Abby?'

'Washing her hair.'

'Flour get into it?'

'Huh-uh.'

'You put it there?'

'No. She did.' Gibbs raises an eyebrow. 'She did.' Tony protests Gibbs looks over his shoulder at Gloria, who nods confirming Tony's story. 'Abby started the fight.'

'Tattle tail.' Abby pouts. Tony lets his chin wobble. Gibbs ruffles his hair

'Nice try, kiddo. Abby, be nice and stop getting my son into trouble.'

'We don't look for trouble. It finds us.'

'Why do I believe that?' Gibbs mutters. 'Come on, you two. Don't you have projects to complete.' Both of the children grin and run down to the basement. 'Make sure you use your tools not mine!'

'Yeah Bossman.' Abby calls back.

'Course Dad.' Tony shouts.

'What do you want?' He demands of Travers.

'Not to take Tony from you. Don't worry. I just wanted to deliver these.' Travers retrieves adoption papers. 'It's his ninth birthday in four months is it not?'

'Yes, yes it is.' Gibbs replies carefully.

'I may be able to push this through quickly so it can come from officially on his birthday.' Gibbs lifts an eyebrow. 'Tony needs a family.' She gestures around at the house, Gloria and Gibbs. 'And here is a family, that's perfect for him. A little sister to protect and be protected by, a mother who cares for him and a father who would do anything for him. Okay the sister and mother might not live with him but… who cares? I assume he'll have a bedroom at your place.'

'No.'

'What.'

'He won't have one. He has one at Gloria's place.'

'Oh.' Gibbs smirks.

'Did you really think that I wouldn't make arrangements for when I have to work?'

'I hoped you had.'

'Daddy!' Tony's voice yells from the basement. 'Need your help.' Gibbs smirks and ambles down closely followed by Travers and Gloria. Travers slips a notebook out of her pocket and notes down a query for Gloria. Why did he give the gun to Tony? Gloria takes the pen and notepad and writes the answer. Trust and proof of trust. Tony also was pistol whipped by his bio father. Jethro's only showing him guns can be a good thing too. Travers nods. Just that they need to be respected and they aren't toys.

'So Tony, what's the problem?'

'Where do I start on the bill?' Gibbs chuckles and moves behind Tony. 'The end or the base?'

'I should start at the base and go out.' Gibbs guides the chisel in Tony's hands in the right direction against the wood. 'Like this.' Gibbs glances over to Abby in the corner, gluing together furniture for a dolls house. 'You okay over there Abs?'

'Yeah. Nearly finished.'

'What are you making Tony?' Travers asks

'A wheelie duck, for our next door neighbour.'

'Thomas, it's his third birthday next month. He really loves wheelies toys.'

'So you're making one for him?' Tony nods as he concentrates.

'I'm going to paint it the colours of a teal duck.'

'They're the pretty ones.' Abby chips in.

'A teal?' Travers inquires Gibbs let Tony take full control the chisels and holds up a picture of a teal duck to mutely explain. 'Oh. It is beautiful. Good choice.'