A/N: Holy moley. First week of nursing school was...yikes. The good thing is, with the return of school comes the return of NCIS (silently jumps around in excitement like a little kid) however, with the return of school come a decrease in the amount of updates possible. However, no matter how long it takes, I want you guys to know that I am thankful for everyone who reads and reviews and all that jazz. I'm so glad you are enjoying this story. Next chapter will be up as soon as possible.


Chapter Twenty Eight

The party took forever until the very very end when everything went so fast I almost got lost in what was happening.

But that's okay cause Boss stopped and looked at me and smiled and said that they were counting down cause that's just what everyone did and I smiled and nodded cause I liked the fact that I could do something that everyone did.

Everyone started clapping then and I clapped too and then Abby was giving me a big hug and I tried to give her just as big a hug as she gave me but I don't think I did cause no one can give a hug as big as Abby, expect maybe Boss, but even then Abby's hugs are nice.

She gave Baron a hug to and he gave her a big kiss on the nose and Boss shook Probie's and Jimmy's hand and even gave Ducky a hug. Boss doesn't always hug everyone but he smiles and he laughs with his eyes and I think everyone else figured that out too cause Ziva and Abby give Boss hugs even though he always looks happy and surprised when they do.

It was really late though, when we counted and clapped and laughed and before I could stop everything and slow it down, I was laying down and Ziva was smiling at me. She whispered something, but I didn't understand it and I started to cry cause I remembered when the words everyone said didn't make sense when I first woke up and everything was jumbled.

I was worried that I was going to start over, like the months did or like the days did when they got higher than 30.

I didn't want to start over, cause I liked being where I was and I wanted to be a year, not a day or a month or anything else.

I cried for awhile and didn't stop until Baron was on top of me, licking me face like he does when things start to move to fast and I can't slow them down.

Ziva was still there too, and she told me after I was okay, that sometimes she said things that wouldn't make sense to me cause it was easier for her to say them that way. I told her I knew what she meant cause sometimes the words in my head made more sense than the ones that came out of my mouth.

Ziva smiled at me and kissed my forehead again before she started to trace my face with her fingers.

She did it really carefully, like I was gonna break even though I was fixed and didn't need to wear blue on anymore, but she kept doing it till it was too hard to keep my eyes open which was okay because she was singing like I remember her doing and it sounded like the best thing I had ever heard.


Gibbs watched from the doorway as Ziva worked wonders to help settle Tony down. Staying up late had started to wear on him but Gibbs had not wanted to keep Tony out of the fun and had made sure to let him take a longer nap then normal earlier that day for the sole reason of letting Tony stay up late to spend the time with his friends.

However, when it had been time for everyone to make their way home and in Tony's case, up the stairs, he had become restless and agitated, as he often did if he was overtired but still too stimulated to fall asleep. Ziva, having seen his distress, had offered her help just as she'd done in the hospital room when Tony had been flushed with fever and in dire need of a quiet soul to help.

It had taken a good amount of time but Tony had finally settled, thanks to Ziva and Baron, and Gibbs gave Ziva one last hug. He offered her the spare bed, the room being open due to Elijah's departure earlier that evening to visit his mother and his family.

"No thank you Gibbs," Ziva smiled before glancing at the stairs, "I will be home shortly. However, I will be back soon to take Tony out for our outing."

Gibbs smiled at that, remembering the promise Ziva had made to Tony earlier that day. Tony had wanted to go out to lunch tomorrow, technically today, but Ziva had promised to take him later in the week, when the hustle and bustle of New Year's was passed.

"Goodnight Ziva, drive safely," Gibbs said as he walked her to the front of the house.

"I will arrive home safely," Ziva said, with a bit of a smirk, "I have driven in much more hostile environments."

Gibbs returned the smirk, knowing that while Ziva did not admit it, she would text Gibbs the moment she was safe inside her house, only to quell his fears.

"See you tomorrow Ziver," Gibbs said, watching as she walked towards her car, got in and drove away before closing the door.

The house was quiet, the hum of the new year still in the air, and Gibbs decided to head to bed. His heart was happy and Tony was safe. And soon, the rest of his team would text him with their messages of safety and he would have no problem sleeping this New Year's Day.

Oh what a difference a year could make.


Anthony D. DiNozzo Senior had not, despite what others thought, been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. His parents had each been immigrants to America making him a first generation American, something he was very proud off. His childhood had been hard, filled with days of growling stomachs and clothes that didn't always fit completely right.

His father had worked hard, and his mother just as hard, until on the eve of his graduation from his public high school, his father had presented him with enough money to make the trip to university where he could earn a degree.

His father had been a hard man, a man that had never showed much affection and his mother had been a woman that had showed her love with her heavy hand and her lack of tolerance in anything other than perfection.

He had met his wife at university and she had been the complete opposite from him. She had been born wealthy and had lived that way all her life. She was from England and had family there. She was staying for the semester at NYU before she would return home.

Or so that was how the plan was suppose to go.

But they had fallen in love and soon, a few days before he graduated with honors, they were wed and happy.

But it had been short lived. They both wanted a family. But after three miscarriages and months of trying, they had almost given up.

But then he had been blessed with a son. A Junior, his wife's idea not his own, and their life had been once again happy.

But his wife had wanted more than one child and when she had come to the realization that that wouldn't happen, she had fallen into a hole that Senior could dig her out of. But then, he hadn't been paying the most attention. While his wife's family was entitled and rich, he had been determined to make his own way in life without help.

And he had. But being on top never lasted long and by the time he noticed something was wrong, Junior was already use to raising himself and to be honest, he had no idea how to treat the young boy who went to bed one morning whole and woke up the next motherless. And then there had been the fact that the boy had been there when…when it had happened, when his mother had died.

In the years that followed, Senior tried to do his best to provide for Junior while at the same time trying to recover from the loss of his first love.

But it wasn't until he was old and it was too late, Senior realized that while he thought he had a good relationship with his son, he really didn't have one at all.

And there was no one to blame but himself for the years wasted.

But he was trying to change it, trying to make it right.

No matter what anyone else said.


Gibbs helped Tony take off his shirt and he stifled a chuckle when the younger man let out a grumble of words. The long day the night before was affecting Tony now and Gibbs wouldn't have the heart to wake Tony up if it weren't for the need for the man to take his medication.

"Come on Tony," Gibbs gently smoothed Tony's new shirt before helping Tony take off his hand brace, "Once we get downstairs and get some food how about we sit and watch a movie?"

Tony grumbled something and gentle shook his head.

"What Tony?" Gibbs asked, bending down so he could hear what Tony was saying.

"Naap," Tony pronounced slowly, his eyes already half shut, his shoulders relaxed and loose. His head was already bobbing forward, his forehead resting on Gibbs' chest, "Looong naap."

Gibbs smiled before running his hand gently over Tony's head which was currently covered in stubble. Hopefully, this would be the last time anyone ever had to shave Tony's head. He missed seeing the boy with a full head of hair.

"S'cold," Tony mumbled and tried to make another dive underneath his covers.

"Okay Tony," Gibbs said before grabbing a sweater for him, "How about we wear this and the beanie that Ziva made for you?"

"Blue," Tony nodded and pointed to the drawer where he kept the blue beanie Ziva had made for him. It was the same color as his blue helmet and Ziva gave it to him at the party so he could wear it on his head because he didn't have to wear his blue helmet anymore cause his head wasn't broken.

"Alright then," Gibbs said, gently threading Tony's arms through the sleeves before slipping the sweater over his head, "And now for blue on Tony," Gibbs helped Tony put on the beanie.

"Cold. This isn't blue on Boss," Tony shook his head and let out a chuckle, "That's put away in my closet."

"I know, I'm just playing" Gibbs adjusted the beanie once before he was satisfied that it was covering both of Tony's ears, "Alright Tony, let's say we head downstairs for some food and your medicine?"

"Blue. Then nap," Tony nodded and stood, rubbing his face with his good hand before following Gibbs out of his room and downstairs.

"Down. Come on Baron, time for food," Tony called out to his dog who was still lying on the bed. Tony called once more before Baron yawned and jumped off the bed, hurrying after his family.


Tony hummed along to the song that was in his head. It was quiet in the room cause Boss was downstairs in his special place in the basement and he wasn't up with Tony cause Tony was suppose to be taking a nap.

"Quiet. No nap huh Baron?" Tony said, gently petting his dog's head, "Not tired."

Tony listened for Boss. Boss always made small quiet noises that you couldn't hear unless you really wanted to and Tony knew that sometimes, not everyone wanted to. But he wanted to and which was why he always had to work hard to listen for Boss.

"Shh. The secret Baron," Tony shook his head slowly. He wasn't broke anymore but still, he didn't want to break again. It hurt to get fixed and Tony didn't want to have to do that again.

"Just you know," Tony closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep. He needed to sleep. He was tired, really tired when he was standing up but now that he was laying down he didn't want to close his eyes. He didn't want to think about the secret or anything other than Boss and Baron and his family.

But it was hard. He wanted to get up and go and do but he knew he needed to nap. Cause he was tired, very tired, but he hated sleeping cause he didn't want to right now even though he should.

Besides, no one was outside. It was cold. Really cold. And Boss had the nice fire on and it was crackling like it did when Boss put the logs in so Tony could listen and he was warm with his blue beanie on his head and his sweater on his chest and a blanket and Baron on his to keep him warm.

Tony needed to sleep. It was cold outside and it was warm inside and Boss was down right by him even if Tony couldn't see him and Baron was right by him, grumbling cause Tony needed to sleep.

"Nap. Maybe just a tiny nap, right Baron?" Tony whispered, glad he felt tired enough to close his eyes, "Quiet, quiet Baron. Sshhhh."

Tony mumbled something right before he heard Boss come up the stairs. But his eyes were closed and he was too tired to open them and besides, Boss was being quiet so Tony could take his nap.

Boss came into the room though, and Tony could feel him even though his eyes weren't open. He just had to listen really hard for him, but just for a bit because soon, Boss was making the fire crackle more and then he was right by Tony, putting his hand on his head and fixing his blankets like Tony knew he did all the time.

"N'oss," Tony tried to say but it didn't come out right.

But Boss must have understood, cause he was always good at that, cause he smiled at Tony and Tony knew that even though his eyes were still closed.

"Sleep good Tony," Boss said and it was the last thing Tony remembered before he fell asleep.


I don't have blue on anymore. Its different because I'm fixed now and I don't have to wear my blue helmet but sometimes, I really want to wear it because just in case something happens.

Without my blue on, my head get's really cold cause my hair is taking a long time to grow back. Its gonna grow back though, cause it did last time and soon Boss will be laughing at me cause it'll get really long and then I'll have to get it cut short cause it'll turn into a poof ball when I wake up in the morning. But right now it's really short and I don't like it.

Ziva though gave me something else. She made it herself which is hard cause I don't think I could ever do what she did and Boss doesn't know how to make this kind of thing, he just goes to the store to buy it which is okay cause Boss makes other stuff with his hands. He just couldn't make the blue beanie that Ziva made for me and gave me the day we had the party for the ending and beginning of the years.

It fits just right and she put really soft stuff on the inside that is softer than even Baron's coat after I've brushed it a long long time. It's long and it goes all the way over my ears and when I wear it, you can't see that my head use to be broken or that it has the lines all over it.

I like what Ziva gave me. It doesn't have everyone names on it but I'm better now and I can remember the names. I remember Boss and Elijah and Probie and Ziva and Abby and Ducky and Jimmy and Baron and lots of other people.

And I don't need blue on to remember that Kate's name is on the inside of the helmet and that no matter what, she won't be home or at a party of anywhere I go.

But I remember all of them, I remember the way they smile and laugh and the way Boss looks when he thinks I'm being funny or when he helps me do something I can't.

And I'm gonna miss blue on and wearing my helmet to keep my head safe but Ziva made me a nice beanie.

And it's blue too.