The box now finished and varnish drying, Gibbs now versed on both Superman and Spiderman (albeit he had apparently failed his test on the latter and needed to repeat the class); talk now turned to the trip back home.
"Listen Tony," said Gibbs, "here's the plan. We pack the cases now and then pop over to the hospital to see how Bradley is and say goodbye and then we hit the road overnight when the road is clear."
"Can I sit up front with you?" asked Tony.
"No Buddy, first you aren't old enough to do that yet and secondly you will be able to sleep better in the back, we can put some pillows and a blanket in there with you," explained Gibbs.
Seeing that Tony was about to pout because he couldn't ride shot-gun, Jackson added "and thirdly I'm too old to climb into the back."
"You're coming with us?" asked Tony excitedly suddenly forgetting to pout.
"Yep, found someone to cover the shop for me and decided I needed to come stay with you guys for a while," smiled Jackson, "keep an eye on Leroy."
"You can sleep in my room," said Tony, "I could sleep on the floor."
"That's kind of you to offer your bed up Tony but I will be ok on the couch, we need to make sure you can get plenty of sleep so that when you go up to get your scout badges you will be able to march up there smartly and show them all just how good you are," he smiled.
"Do I have to be able to march?" asked Tony in a slight panic, "I don't know how to."
"Well it's a good job I'm coming then, teach you to march like the Air Force," stated Jackson.
"What's wrong with him marching like a Marine?" asked Gibbs grinning at his Dad.
"Nothing wrong Leroy if he needs to do some fancy rifle swinging stuff and all that," teased Jackson, "but if we want him looking really smart its Air Force all the way."
"So you're saying Marines aren't as smart old man," laughed Gibbs, "you guys need to stick to your loop the loop fancy ass aerobatics and leave the fighting and the marching to the pro's."
"Erm," interjected Tony, "how about if I marched like the Army?"
"Oh No Tony," both men replied in unison laughing loudly, "anything but the Army!"
"Do the marines have pilots?" he asked.
"Yeah sure do Bud," said Gibbs proudly.
"Well if you both taught me together perhaps I could march like a marine pilot!"
The adults couldn't fault the kid's logic and the ability to defuse the situation, even if they were only both joking around. "You should get a job in the peace corps kiddo."
"I'll add it to my lists," said Tony taking out his little notebook and adding it in.
Jackson looked over his shoulder, "what language is that you are writing in Tony?"
"It's code," said Tony, "my mom taught me."
"Well look at that," admired Jackson, "the kid could be a real secret agent."
"That's what I have at the top of my list," nodded Tony.
"So how many lists you got in there Tony?" enquired Gibbs.
"Well there's my bucket list of things to do before I'm ten," he started, "then there's a list of my favourite songs, and my list of all the famous people I would like to meet."
"Who's on that one?" Jackson asked.
"Oh there's Neil Armstrong; JFK, I liked his suits; the Harlem Globe Trotters…" Tony was on a roll.
"What the whole team?" laughed Gibbs.
"Yep figured they could teach me some moves," stated Tony quite matter of factly.
"I'd like to meet Frank Sinatra too," he added.
"Do you like his songs?" asked Gibbs a bit surprised at the kids taste in music, "yeah they're ok but I am really hoping he will let me have one of his hats, I think it would suit me!"
"So what other lists are there?" asked Jackson, fascinated by this insight into the little boy.
"Well this one is my favourite films, these are the best superheroes, here's a list of names to call my pets if I ever get one," he added as he turned the pages.
"What's that one Tony, it doesn't look like your writing?" asked Gibbs.
"That's my mom's writing," stated Tony, "but I think I might have forgotten her code."
"Why's that?" asked Gibbs taking a closer look at the book.
"Well when I translate it, it just gives me a list of places I have never heard of and lots of numbers I don't understand," sighed Tony, "I've tried other cyphers but they don't work either."
"Well Shannon likes puzzles, perhaps she could give you a hand looking at it when we get back," suggested Gibbs, "which we won't do anytime soon unless we all get a wriggle on."
"Ok," said Tony packing his notebook away in his pocket, "won't take me long to pack." With that he raced off upstairs, stuffing clothes into the hold-all without folding and grabbing his box and other assorted treasures including the Rubix cube, and Cottontail and packing all but Cottontail carefully amongst the screwed up clothes to make sure they didn't get broken. Cottontail would need to ride in the back with him.
Having visited Bradley and talked through the adventures of Batman for the third time, and upon hearing he was due to get out of the hospital by the end of the week, Tony left there happy.
As they began the ride back Jackson handed him a paper bag. "Thought this would keep you entertained Tony," he said.
The little boy eagerly took the bag thanking Jackson profusely.
"Wow," he exclaimed, "these are great."
"What's that you got Tony?" asked Gibbs looking at the kid in the rear mirror and seeing him beaming.
"New comics," said Tony, "Captain America and the Fantastic Four. Gibbs did you know that Captain America is really called Steven Rogers and he was born on the 4th July 1920 and….." the kid rattled off all of the facts.
Gibbs looked over at his Dad, "what you couldn't get him a magazine on practical woodworking?"
Jackson laughed and closed his eyes ready to snooze, "now how would that aid your education son?"