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"Family"

Chapter 28.

On the way to Ziva's house, Tony called Ducky and they decided that the former ME would sleep at Jimmy's and that all of them would meet next morning at 9.00 A.M. at NCIS HQ.


Ziva's apartment was silent in the middle of night, but soft muttering woke up McGee. He looked at the bed next to the couch he was sleeping on and saw that it was empty. Where are Tony and Michael?

"I miss mommy," Michael's small voice made Tim turn to the window behind him.

Tony had his son in his arms and they were looking out the window at the night sky. Tim was amazed by how relaxed and at home Tony looked with Michael in his arms. I've never seen you so happy and at peace, Tony.

"I know, piccolo," Tony kissed his little boy's blond curls.

"Wheres mommy?" Michael sniffed and buried his face in Tony's shoulder.

"Look at the sky," Tony whispered. "Do you see all those stars?"

Michael raised his head and nodded, his big green eyes fixed on the sky.

"Do you see that star? The brightest one?"

"Yes."

"Mommy's an angel now and she lives on that star," Tony said sweetly. "But during the day, when we can't see the stars, she lives on the clouds."

Michael turned to his dad and looked at him with widened eyes. Tony nodded and added, "Mommy will always be with you even if you won't be able to see her... she'll always be here, in your heart," he touched his son's chest.

"Rweally?"

"Yes, my mom... your grandma, is an angel too and I feel her next to me every day," Tony whispered as he sadly looked at the sky.

"Your mommy is with my mommy?" Michael touched his dad's cheek. Tony turned.

"Sure," Tony smiled.

"She will takes care of my mommy?"

Tony nodded. "I'm sure that they already live together and they're watching us... and wondering why we're not sleeping though it's veeeery late," he tickled his son's tummy and made him giggle.

"It's better we goes to sleep," Michael cupped a hand around his mouth and whispered to his dad's ear.

"Why?" Tony whispered back.

"Ours mommies will gets mad and..." Michael checked the stars up in the black sky. "They will scolds us."

"You're right, buddy," Tony winked at his boy and headed to their bed.

He lay down on the bed with Michael in his arm and they snuggled under the covers. "Night, daddy," Michael whispered.

The little boy then turned towards the window and said, "Mommy, do not worry. Is safe with my daddy," he took a deep breath. "Grandma, I and daddy ares happy together. You shows my mommy around and takes care of her."

Michael blew a kiss towards the window, then kissed his dad's cheek and fell asleep in seconds.

"My precious little man," Tony whispered. "I love you," his voice cracked as he kissed Michael's forehead.

He glanced up and saw McGee smiling softly at them with tears in his eyes.


Mark slowly opened his eyes and found himself staring directly into Fornell's. The man had stayed by his side during his long sleep and now he was staring at him with concern.

"How do you feel, kid?" Tobias asked.

"Thirsty," Mark whispered.

The older man filled a cup with water, grabbed a straw, and helped the boy drink. "Thanks," Mark nodded.

"My pleasure," Tobias answered and put the cup on the rollway table. He turned and saw that Mark was staring out of the window. "Talk to me, kid. What's going on?" he whispered softly as he sat down again.

Mark glanced up, wearing one of the saddest expressions Tobias had ever seen. "Why I'm not upset over the loss of my parents? I... I should... shouldn't I be desperate?"

Mark's eyes broke Fornell's heart in two. The boy looked so lost and confused. He was begging for reassurance that he'd be safe and that he was not a bad person. Gibbs, you should be here!

"You were just a little boy when they kidnapped you and, in all of these years away from your parents, that...that bastard told you that your mother and father didn't want you," Tobias saw Mark nodding. "He convinced you and now..."

"I don't know what I feel," Mark said sotto voce and felt Fornell squeezing his hand. "What's going to happen?"

"Well, you'll stay here until the doctors say that you can leave."

"And then?" the boy's anxious eyes widened as he waited for the older man to answer.

Tobias averted his eyes and didn't answer.

"I'm alone," Mark murmured, barely audible.

"No, we will find..."

"I'm tired," Mark interrupted him. He rolled onto his side, turning his back on Fornell, and closed his eyes. "Leave me alone... please," he sniffed.

I'm alone... nobody wants me and... why should they? That man... Gibbs... I felt safe with him... and he said that he'd take care of me... but he changed his mind... I'm nothing to him... I'm just... just a stupid boy that let a bastard manipulate him... I helped Mick... I should be in jail... it'd be better if Mick had... killed me.


"Leroy, stop thinking or your head will explode," Jack ordered from his hospital bed.

"You should be sleeping, dad," Gibbs glared at him.

"I can't. The wheels in your head are too noisy," the older man grinned and saw his son rolling his eyes. "You're worried about that boy you left in LA, aren't you?"

"Yes... I..." Gibbs took a deep breath. "I told him I'd keep him safe and help him, but I don't know how," he stood up and went to the window.

"Yes, you know how. You're just scared to open your heart again."

"Dad!"

"What?! After you lost Shannon and Kelly, you locked your heart away for years... until you met Tony."

Gibbs frowned and opened his mouth to protest but his father stopped him. "Tony got under your skin and gave you the chance for a new family. You love that guy like a son and... and when the team was disbanded... you all were lost."

"Tony thought I was mad at him because of the job and that..." Gibbs took a deep breath, "I didn't trust him anymore. So he didn't keep in touch."

"And your silence just made the doubts bigger and the pain heavier," Jack said and saw his son nodding. "Leroy, I've lived with you every day for the last four years and I've seen you suffering every single day because you were away from your people."

Gibbs walked back to the chair by his dad's bed and sat down.

"I don't know what is going to happen, but they need you and you need them... all of them, including that boy in LA," Jack added.

"Mark," Gibbs whispered.

"Earlier, when you were talking about Mark, I saw the same spark in your eyes that you have every time you talk about Tony. I don't know how or why, but Mark touched your heart and now... he's yours."

"Dad," Leroy growled.

"Oh come on, son! What's your gut telling you?"

"To call Mark and see how he's doing," he reluctantly admitted.

"See?" Jack grinned.


Ducky was lying on the bed in Jimmy's guest room but he couldn't sleep.

Soon you'll be alone again, Donald... soon they'll get back to their lives and... even if they will accept the Director's assignments... I am too old to start working again and... Mr. Palmer... he is the ME now and I could never steal his job... he deserves it.

He sighed as he felt tears filling his tired eyes.

Yes, Donald... soon you will alone again.


The phone on Mark's nightstand rang but the boy didn't bother to pick up the receiver.

"Hello," Fornell answered. "Hi... yes... not so good... no, no. He's... exactly... sure. Hold on," the FBI Agent turned to Mark.

The boy's eyes were still closed but, judging from his breathing, it was clear that he was not sleeping.

"Mark," Tobias called softly and saw him open his eyes. "It's for you," the older man said as he passed Mark the receiver.

"Me? Who wants to talk to me?" the younger man asked in confusion, his voice hoarse from the silent cry.

Mark took the receiver and said uncertaintly, "Hello."

"It's Gibbs," the former Marine's strong but gentle voice said.

"Gibbs?" Mark looked at Fornell as tears filled his blue eyes and saw the FBI Agent nodding. "Why are you calling me?"

"I told you that I'd take care of you. Didn't you believe me?" Gibbs asked. I shouldn't have left him!

"Yes... I mean... I... don't know," Mark whispered.

"I'm a Marine and we never leave our people behind," Gibbs explained.

"But I'm not one of your people," Mark sniffed.

"Yes, you are... listen, Mark, I know that you're scared and confused, but I can assure you that you'll never be alone. Michael's dad and I will always take care of you," Gibbs' firm voice went straight to Mark's heart and the tears that had filled his eyes now started rolling down on his pale cheeks.

"Really?" he asked barely audible.

"Never doubt a Marine's word, kid," Gibbs growled, but Mark could hear a smile in those words.

"Yes, sir!" the boy answered, smiling through the tears.

"Don't call me sir. I work for a living!"

"What?" Mark asked, confused.

"Nothing. Do you know when they're going to release you?"

"No," Mark answered as he looked at Fornell.

"Put Fornell on. And Mark…"

"Yes?"

"Soon this mess will be over and you'll be happy again," Gibbs choked.

"Promise?"

"You've my word."

"Okay... Gibbs, don't worry about me. I'll be fine here 'till..."

"'Till I'll come to take you home. Now sleep so they'll let you go soon. Goodnight, Mark," Gibbs said less gruffly than usual.

"Goodnight and... thank you."

He passed the receiver to Fornell and while the man was talking with Gibbs, Mark fell asleep with a smile on his face.

"So?" Jack asked impatiently when his son closed his cell.

"He was scared and confused," Gibbs sighed and leaned heavily against the back of his chair.

"But you comforted him."

"Yeah," Gibbs nodded.

"Did he believe you?" the older man asked, concerned.

"Yes, he believed me. Why are you so worried? You don't know Mark!"

"I'm worried because you're worried and because that poor kid wouldn't be scared if you weren't here with me. You should have stayed with Mark instead of running here like an anxious mother just because..."

"We've already had this conversation so quit it," Gibbs glared at his father.

"What did your friend say?"

"Fornell talked with the doctor and he said that Mark can leave the hospital tomorrow," Gibbs answered as he rubbed his tired face with his hands.

"And?"

"And I don't know," the former Marine shook his head. "Fornell can put Mark in FBI protective custody while they're investigating the illegal trafficking of children," Gibbs explained as he stood up and sighed deeply.

"Good... or not?" Jack said when he saw his son's gloomy face.

"Mark needs stability and a home. Protective custody means leaving him with federal agents in some cold safe house. This kind of investigation is very long and sometimes witnesses need to be moved from house to house. I can't do that to him... I can't!"

"So what are you going to do?"

"I really don't know," Gibbs answered quietly as he turned to the window.

If only I was still an NCIS Agent!


Morning arrived quickly and at 0900, Tony, Michael, McGee, Abby, Ziva, Ducky and Palmer arrived at NCIS HQ in DC.

"Please follow me," Vance requested as soon as they stepped out of the elevator and entered the bullpen.

"Nothing's changed," Abby whispered as she looked around and met Ziva's eyes. The Israeli woman's look was so sad that Abby couldn't help but hug her tight.

"I miss our past, Abby," Ziva whispered in her friend's ear.

"Me too," the Goth whispered back.

The Director exchanged a wink with Dr. Palmer and headed to his office upstairs, followed by all of his guests except Tony.

"I'll be there in a moment, Director," Tony said before crouching down to talk with Michael.

"Wheres you going daddy?" the little boy asked a bit scared.

"I need to talk with the Director so I'll be upstairs in his office."

"And me? I do not want to stays here alone," Michael sniffed as he looked around. The office was big and full of strangers and it made the little boy feel overwhelmed and scared. He hugged his dad tightly and buried his face into Tony's neck.

"You won't be alone, my dear lad," Ducky smiled when he saw Tony's desperate look. "You will stay with me. I will tell you the end of the story we had started in Los Angeles. Do you remember it?''

"Yes," Michael nodded as he looked at the nice doctor. "King Arthur and his kni... nights," he smiled.

"Very good, my fellow!" Ducky ruffled Michael's hair. "Will you stay with me while your dad is upstairs?"

Michael thought about it for a moment and then asked Tony, "Will you comes back?"

"Sure. I can't leave without my precious baby," Tony kissed his son's forehead.

"I's not a baby," Michael frowned. "Pinky promise?" he asked and held up his little finger.

"Pinky promise," Tony linked his finger with Michael's and kissed Michael again.

"Ducky, I guess you can wait with Michael in the conference room while we're with the Director," Tony said as he stood up.

"Sure. Do you agree, Michael?" Ducky answered as he followed Tony and Michael upstairs.

"Sure, Ducky," Michael faked the doctor's accent. He turned to look at his new friend and almost tripped over steps. Luckily his dad was holding his hand or he would have fallen down. "Ooops!" the child giggled.

"Pay attention, my little boy," the older man smiled as he saw Tony picking up his son.

In a few steps they arrived at the conference room nearest to Vance's office. "Here you go," Tony opened the door. "WOW! Nothing changed in all these years," he observed with a sad smile. Oh, how I miss this place!

"Piccolo, I've got to go now, but I'll be back soon. Okay?" Tony said as he let his son into the room.

"Do not worrys, daddy," Michael answered and climbed up on a chair. "Ducky and I haves lots of things to talk about," he added as he got comfortable.

Tony and Ducky exchanged an amused look and tried to hid a chuckle. "Okay. Ciao!" the BPD cop said as he left the room. He left the door open, just in case Michael started crying because he got scared and wanted his dad.

"So, do you remember where we were in our story?" Tony heard Ducky ask Michael.

"Theres was a big table and..." Michael started and his dad's heart melted with joy just listening to his son's voice.


Tony opened the door of the Director's office.

But what's going on?

Tony was surprised and amused by what he saw on the big plasma.

This is going to be interesting.

He grinned as he sat down between McGee and Vance at the big table in front of the television.

Tony looked around and saw all of his friends were confused and nervous.

It seemed that only the Director and Palmer knew what was going to happen.

Let the show begin!

TBC


See you soon!

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