A/N: Sorry about the wait. Thank you once again for all your lovely reviews :) I've basically finished the next chapter, and will hopefully post it by either tonight or tomorrow morning.

Both men took a sharp breathe, each feeling protective of their younger family member. Tony immediately jumped down from the table; going to Zach's other side, while Ducky busied himself with making cups of tea and ushering the other two into his office where it was more comfier.

"Does Gibbs know?" Tony asked, sitting next to him on the sofa. He could see Gibbs being more over-protective with Zach and a lot less angry if he knew.

Zach nodded sadly, taking the offered cup of tea from Ducky.

"He knows! Is that where he has gone now then? To arrest the principle? What did he say?" Tony bombarded him with questions, not liking the fact his boss and surrogate father had possible gone alone to deal with this SOB.

"He shouted at me when I told him, so I doubt he has gone there" he didn't look at either of the men; it was embarrassing enough that his dad didn't care anymore without their pity.

"Why did he shout?" Tony asked, this was not like the Gibbs he knew. He was sure that Zach had just gotten confused.

"I…I told him that the principle h…hit me. And he just screamed 'don't'" He took a sip of the warm tea "I…I think he… thinks I'm lying"

"Why would he think that lad?" Ducky inquired gently.

"cus Walters lied to him, telling him that I was making it up that he hit me." He explained, telling them both exactly what the black-haired man had said to him.

"That Son of a bitch!" Tony clenched his fists angrily. "He won't get away this kid, I'll personally make sure that he never see the light of day. And wait till Ziva hears about this, if she can kill …."

"Anthony!" Ducky called over the mans ranting "Stop it, your scaring the boy"

Tony did well to mask his anger now, looking down at the near crying teen. He knew his nephew was stronger than that, but it must have been a very emotional and trying day for him.

"Wait!" A sickening thought hit Tony "You were caned right?"

Zach took a gulp and nodded, while Ducky and Tony shared a knowing look between one and other, both dreading what was to come.

"Can we see?" Ducky asked softly "I assume that he was overly harsh with you?"

The teen didn't know what to say so he nodded once more. He usually had no problem showing off his body, but today he was self-conscious at people looking at the abuse he had suffered.

"Do you want me to step out so Ducky can look?" Tony offered.

"No, I'm fine" He shook his head, counting a quick mental one, two, three, before he stood up and started undoing his belt and pushing his trousers down.

He was slower and gentler with his shorts, only pulling them down at the back to cover his modesty. But he knew they could both see perfectly from their gasps of horror.

"Oh my!" Ducky's eyes were wide, looking at the horrific sight front of him.

"Hey, my bum isn't that big" Zach joked weakly, pulling his shorts and trousers back up once he was sure the men had gotten a good look.

Tony stood up, planning to exit the room "I'm going to find Gibbs, let him know what's going on."

"Wait a second Anthony!" The ME called him back "I shall go and talk to him, while you stay with the lad."

"Kay Ducky."

"There are some biscuits in the draw under the computer and a pack of cards lying around here somewhere."

Gibbs strode into the bullpen, a fresh black coffee in his hand. He took a look around, finding Tony and Zach no where in sight, but the Scottish doctor waiting by his desk.

Ducky's face was grave, a clear indication that he had something to tell Gibbs. Something that Gibbs would not want to hear.

They walked wordlessly to the elevator, Gibbs stopping it as soon as the doors closed, and turning to the shorter man. "What is it Ducky?"

"Your son, Zacharriah."

Gibbs growled lowly, assuming his son had caused more havoc for the day. "What has he done?"

Ducky narrowed his eyes at him "He has done nothing Jethro. But I can see his reasons for being upset are not unfounded."

The elder man blinked a few times "What's that suppose to mean?"

"It means.." Ducky said, slightly angry at the other man "That your son is currently down in my office; upset by the fact his own father won't believe him"

"You mean he's pulled the 'principle hit him' crap with you too?" Gibbs shook his head at the audacity his son had.

"If you think your son getting beaten is crapJethro…" Ducky's voice was raised "Then maybe you should never have accepted to be his Guardian. I'm sure he would have been better off joining the Royal Marines. At least there he wouldn't get abused by the people who are supposed to care for his welfare"

"I do not abuse my son!"

"No, but your standing by and doing nothing while he is being abused, that's just as bad and you know it" The Scottish man glared.

"Zach is not being abused. He was lying to try and get his ass out of trouble" Gibbs was beyond annoyed, how dare Ducky accuse him of treating his son like that.

"Trust me Jethro" The man said coldly "He was not lying. And if you'd seen what that monster has done to him, you would know that"

Gibbs felt his blood run cold now, hoping he hadn't gotten all of this wrong "What are you talking about Duck?"

"Your son has been on the receiving end of a very cruel caning." Ducky said, glad he had gotten through Gibbs' stubborn head "And the bruises on his face are not from some high school fight"

"He was telling the truth?" Gibbs felt sick to his stomach now. He couldn't believe he had let his son down like that.

Ducky nodded "Yes. He needs you Jethro. And I hope for his sake that you can give him what he needs"

"What does he need?" Gibbs asked, curious as to what the doctors opinion would be.

"He needs a father who will protect him. Because I'm almost certain that before you, he had no adult role models who would be willing enough to do so"

"I'd do anything for my son, you know that Duck. I've already lost one child, and I am not going to lose a second" The taller man vowed.

"I do know that Jethro, but the question is does Zach know that. He hasn't had the most trust-worthy adults in his life, and now because of today he is beginning to doubt you are. Just please sort this out, I do not want to see the boy get hurt"

"Me either Duck, me either."

"Why did you get into a fight?" Tony asked, looking at the hand he had.

"I don't want to talk about it" Zach muttered, picking up a card from the deck.

"I got into a few fights in school when I was younger" Tony said, sounding like he was just trying to make conversation "Right after my mom died."

"Your mum died?" Zach looked up from his cards now, interested in what he had to say.

The Italian man nodded. "When I was eight"

"What happened to her?" The blond asked, feeling sorry for his uncle. He was sixteen when he'd lost his mother, he couldn't imagine what it would have been like for an eight-year-old.

"A horse-riding accident"

"Oh… I'm sorry" he said sincerely.

"Don't be" Tony shook his head, smiling to try and stop his thoughts going down to a dark place. This was about his nephew, not him. "It was a long time ago Zach. But that's not what I was trying to say anyway"

"What were you trying to say then?"

"That I used to get in fights a lot when she first died because other kids use to say things about her, which made me angry, and fighting was the only way I knew how to get rid of the anger"

"Oh…" Zach didn't know what to say.

"And my dad, well he was too depressed himself to bother with me, so he sent me off to Military school so they could teach me better ways to deal. But your dad Zach, well he is possible the greatest man I have ever known. You're lucky you have him you know."

The blond shrugged, he didn't feel that lucky at the minute. The man thought he was a liar and he didn't care about the principle hitting him.

"Zach" Tony sighed "He was just pissed that you'd been fighting. I bet you my entire years salary that when he comes down here with Ducky, that he will be sorry for not listening to you"

"I don't think he will be Uncle Tony" The teen said sadly.

"He will do" The agent said "He and the rest of us are here for you Zach, no matter what."

"You promise?" He looked up at him, his ice blue eyes expressing his fears of being rejected.

"I promise Kiddo" Tony smiled at him, ruffling the blond hair.

The agent wished he had had a father like Gibbs when he was Zach's age, and he would have given anything to have had a family while he was growing up.

"And here he is now" Tony grinned when he noticed Gibbs coming into the office with Ducky.

The senior agent got up when Ducky jerked his head, hinting for him to leave the father and son alone. He turned in the doorway to speak before he left "Remember Zach, you can always come to mine if you need someone to talk to or if you just need somewhere to go"

The blond nodded "Thanks Uncle Tony"

Gibbs followed Tony out of the office, telling him to inform everyone on the team what was going on and start an official investigation into Principle Walters and Kendrick Academy.

Gibbs came back into the room, taking Tony's vacated seat.

"Zach…. Son…. I'm sorry" Gibbs sighed, feeling guilty for not knowing the principle was lying to him and his son was telling the truth.

"Damn! Tony was right" Zach tried his hardest to smile, trying to make the conversation lighter than it had to be.

"About?" The elder man shook his head in confusion.

"He bet me his wages for the year that you were sorry. I was planning on buying a car with that" He joked lamely.

"Seriously Zach, I am. I want you to know you can trust me with anything, even if I did nothing to deserve it today"

"It's fine dad. Honestly" The teen looked up at him, realising his dad was really upset about this.

The moment his father had walked into the room, Zach had forgiven him. The teen was more than willing to put the incident in the past because he was just too happy when he knew for a fact that his dad loved him.

"No its not" Gibbs said more forcefully "I should have listened to you when you told me before, but I was just too angry about you fighting. I'm just glad you have enough sense to tell Ducky and Tony, otherwise I might not have believed you at all"

"I'm sure you would have dad" He told him. He had a lot of respect for the man; it was not very often you heard an adult admitting their mistakes.

"We don't know that. But what I do know is that I will never ever let that bastard put his hands on you again. I promise Zach" He put his hand on his son's shoulder giving it a tight squeeze.

"I know you won't" the blond replied confidently. "Uncle Tony said that too"

"Uncle Tony is smarter than he looks"

"He said that you'd un-ground me and get pizza as well for tea tonight" Zach tried to keep his face neutral, but he failed when he saw his dad was smiling.

Gibbs chuckled to himself, glad he had sorted everything out with his son "Nice try."

The elder man stood up, pulling his son out of his seat and into a hug, kissing the top of his blond hair. "I'll never let him lay another hand on you again. I promise I'll never let anyone hurt you, ever."

Zach hugged him back, resting his head against the man's chest "You can't promise that, it's impossible."

Gibbs did know his son was right, and he couldn't stop him getting hurt. But he would try everything in his power to stop anyone hurting him, and those who did hurt them. Well, let's just say they had better watch their backs.

"Just you watch me champ"

Coming up Next:- Fornell and the FBI .