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"Family"

Chapter 29.

Next morning Jackson Gibbs was released from the hospital and his son brought him home.

When the former Marine and his father arrived in front of Gibbs' house, they found an NCIS Agent waiting for them. They young man ("A green probie!" Gibbs immediately labeled him) had a laptop in his hands and told the men that Director Vance wanted to talk with Mr. Leroy Jethro Gibbs via videoconference as soon as possible.

Gibbs had given him one of his infamous glares and Jack couldn't hide a grin at the young agent's reaction as he limped into the house and headed straight for his favorite stuffed armchair.

The young agent, who had introduced himself as Agent Richard Stoddard, set up the laptop on the living room table and left as quickly as possible. Gibbs' glares and growls had really scared him.

"You should be nicer, Leroy," Jack grinned. "You scared that poor guy," he added as he took the pills from his son's hand and swallowed them down with some water. Then he got comfortable and was ready to see what Leroy's former boss wanted.

"Green probie!" his son scoffed. "He needs to be toughened up."

Gibbs sat down in front of the plasma and growled, "Let's see what Leon wants so urgently."


All Gibbs' friends knew that he didn't like computers and technology, though he used them when he worked with NCIS. So they were sure that, after he retired, his technophobic side had taken over and the former Marine had banned all computers from his life.

His old cellphone was likely the most modern device he owned.

So watching Gibbs' discomfort on Director Vance's plasma was so amusing that none of the people in the room could hide a grin.

"Gibbs," Vance greeted him.

"Leon," Gibbs answered seriously.

"Well, I guess you all are wondering why I invited you here today," Vance said as he looked all of his guests and saw them nodding. They had wondered about the reasons behind that meeting for many hours, but they had come out empty-handed. "Tony, how is your son?" he suddenly asked.

"Michael's very well, thank you... uhm... Director, I'll never be able to thank you for what you and the entire agency have done for me and my son," Tony's voice cracked with emotion.

"It's the least we could do for man that has given so much for this agency. Plus, this investigation is helping us and the FBI stop such a disgusting trade. Speaking of that..."

"Leon," an annoyed Gibbs called from the plasma. "Stop stalling and tell us what we're doing here. I hate this... this..."

"Videoconference," murmured McGee and all the people in the office grinned.

"Good. Impatient as usual," commented the Director and received a virtual Gibbs' glare.

"In the next weeks, many things will change in NCIS," Vance began, looking at Palmer who nodded. "The NCIS Headquarters will move to Quantico forever and this building will become a field office," the Director explained, but when he saw some of his guests frowning he added, "Do not worry, we're going to have our own building. NCIS HQ will be located in the Russel-Knox Building while FBI will have his Academy. We won't share the same building."

"Really?" Ziva asked.

Vance nodded and Abby asked, "The entire Agency? Labs too?"

"Even Autopsy," Palmer answered.

"Are you going to have orange walls in Quantico too?" Tony joked and they all laughed.

"Yes, Tony," Vance sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Are you kidding, Director?!" McGee exclaimed. "I mean... I... sorry, Director," he lowered his eyes but he was still grinning.

"According to some psychologists it will make the transition less traumatic," Vance shook his head.

All people in the building hated those orange walls. Vance had heard many of his agents hoping that, moving to Quantico, would have mean moving away from that walls too. Psychs and their crazy theories!

"So you're moving to Quantico, but what it has got to do with us, Leon?" Gibbs asked.

"Jarvis is going to leave his assignment as SecNav. He'll become the Secretary of Defense," Leon said.

"WOW!" Abby whispered.

"I've talked with him and we have an offer for all of you," he added and saw five pairs of eyes staring at him expectantly. "We want you back at NCIS... all of you."

It seemed that everyone had stopped breathing. No one uttered a word as they all looked at each other in disbelief.

"We want our best MCRT back," the Director added.

The room fell silent again until Gibbs said, "I retired years ago and, to be honest, I don't want to take all the psych evals and weapons safety tests to be reinstated. I'm too old to be a Field Agent."

"Oh, come on! Gibbs!" Tony exclaimed. "You're not too old!"

"He's right, Gibbs," Ziva agreed, but they saw him shaking his head.

"I've talked with the soon-former and the soon-new SecNav and we all agreed that... uhm... we have another assignment for you, Gibbs," Leon smirked. "They said that, despite the fact that you're a grumpy and growling bear, you're one of the best agents this agency has ever had. You know what it's like to work in the field. You understand what agents go through better than any politician," he took a deep breath. "Despite your lack of diplomacy, you're really smart and wise. You're sneaky enough to deal with people up on the Hill... we need you, Gibbs."

Gibbs smirked and nodded. "Leon, I..."

"The new SecNav knows you very well and he said that he knows how to deal with you," Vance grinned and saw Gibbs frown.

"Who's this man? Who's the new SecNav?" Abby asked.

"Me," Leon smiled.

"Congrats, Director!" Tim exclaimed.

"But... if you're going to be the new SecNav, who's going to be the new Director?" Tony asked and saw Vance turn his eyes toward the plasma.

They all looked at their former boss and saw his eyes widening before he frowned deeply.

"NO!" Gibbs' firm voice echoed through the office.

"So you'd be the new MCRT Leader, DiNozzo," Vance turned to Tony.

"WHAT?!" the younger man's green eyes widened.

"That would be perfect!" Abby bounced excitedly in her chair.

"She's right," Ziva smiled. "Our family would be together again."

"I'd be the new SFA," Tim's eyes were gleaming with happiness and satisfaction.

"Gibbs, if you accept, you..." Vance tried to say.

"I said no, Leon," Gibbs firmly said.

Vance didn't give up and continued as if Gibbs hadn't even spoken. "You'd be part of the FBI investigation on the illegal children traffic," he paused for a moment to let the news sink and then added, "So you'd be able to keep Mark in NCIS protective custody."

The Director grinned like a cat that had just swallowed a canary. You can't say no, Gibbs! I got you!

Gibbs raised his eyebrows and a small smile appeared on his face. "Ya mean..."

"I've talked with the FBI Director and we agreed to leave Mark in your custody, Gibbs," Vance smiled.

Gibbs turned to his father and saw him nodding. "It's what you were waiting for. A chance to help that kid, give him a happy life and be with your family again, Leroy," he whispered.

"Gibbs," Tony's voice made him turn to the monitor again.

Gibbs and DiNozzo looked at each other.

They had never needed words to understand what the other one was thinking and feeling.

That silent talk lasted only for a few seconds, but it was enough for both of them to decide.

Tony raised his eyebrows.

Gibbs gave a slight nod.

Tony nodded back.

"Okay," DiNozzo smiled.

"Okay," Gibbs sighed.

"YESSSSSSSSSSSS!" Abby jumped on her chair and run to hug Tony.

Ziva looked at McGee. They both had tears in their eyes as they shared a happy smile, until Abby engulfed them in one of her famously tight hugs.

"Thank you, Director," Tony extended his hand.

"Thank you to you Agent DiNozzo. Without you, none of them would have ever agreed to come back. You'll be a great team leader," Vance squeezed Tony's shoulder. "I'm just sorry that you're going to have a pain in the a** Director."

"I've heard that," Gibbs growled from the plasma.

"Yeah, Leon. You're right. I think that dealing with our new Director will be the hardest part of my job," Tony nodded gravely.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs barked good-naturedly.

"I'll leave you alone to discuss your future plans. I'll be in MTAC," Vance said. "Welcome back," he added before leaving the room.

"I need to find a house closer to Quantico," Abby said.

"Me too," Ziva agreed. "My apartment is too far from the base."

"My place will be good for now," Tim thought loudly.

"What about you, Gibbs?" Abby asked.

"I need a place too. When I retired, I sold my house in DC."

"What about Ducky?" Tony suddenly asked.

"I guess, he'll get back to his cottage on Chesapeake Bay," Gibbs answered.

"Alone? We can't leave him alone," Abby frowned.

"I agree. Last night, when I told him about the agency's plan... his eyes were so sad," Palmer told them.

"What we could do?" Ziva asked anxiously.

"Actually, I'd have a solution to all of our problems," Tony smiled one of his trademark smiles.


During the tale about King Arthur and his knights, Michael had climbed up on Ducky's lap.

The older man now was holding the child and slowly rocking him as he continued with his story.

"Ducky?" Michael interrupted him.

"Yes, my dear," the former ME cocked his head so he could look at Michael's face.

"Is live with my daddy, right?" he asked as he turned to Ducky and saw him nodding. "And you?"

"What do you mean?" the older man asked as he ruffled Michael's soft hair.

"You will live with us, yes? And Abbys, Ziva, Tim and Jet.. Jef..." Michael gave a frustrated sigh. "Gibbs," he finally said.

"No, sweetheart," Ducky whispered. "You will live with your father while we all go back to our own homes."

"NO!" Michael firmly said as he got down from Dr. Mallard's lap and stood facing him. "I wants to you live with my daddy and all the other," he pouted as tears filled his eyes.

"Michael, listen... you've got to understand that we can't live all together. I have my house and your father's house is too small."

"We buys a new one," Michael stubbornly said.

"It is not so simple. I am an old man and..."

"Daddy says that Abbys and Ziva are my aunties and that Tim is my uncle. Gibbs is... is... daddys bestest friend,"

"You're right, my boy," Ducky smiled at the child's reasoning. You are very smart, my dear fellow.

"Buts he is too young to be my grandpa," Michael looked straight to Ducky, his eyes so innocent and hopefully. "I needs a grandpa... do you wants to be my grandpa? Pleeeease!"

Ducky's eyes filled with tears and a smile graced his old face, "I will be honored and happy to be your grandpa, but..."

"Yeah!" Michael jumped up and down and started dancing happily.

"Michael, listen. We can't..." Ducky unsuccessfully tried to stop the child's enthusiasm.

"Wheres my daddy?" Michael suddenly asked as he ran to the door and, after a short struggle, opened it.

"In the Director's office. Next door," Ducky followed him. "Michael stop!" he ran behind the child.

Tony's son was already at the Director's office door and was trying to open it. "Michael, listen. Your father is talking about import..."

Finally the door opened and Michael burst into the room.


"Do you think it'll work?" Gibbs asked from the plasma and they heard Jack's voice in the background saying, "Don't worry, Leroy."

"It would be perfect, yes?" Ziva said as she looked at Abby.

"Sure!" Abby smiled just before the door slammed open and a little blond storm ran into the room.

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" Michael ran to his father.

Tony crouched down and Michael landed in his arms. "What's going on?" he asked, a bit scared, as he look back and forth between his child and Ducky. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Michael stopped his father's hands that were checking him for any injury and took Tony's face in his little hands. "Abbys and Ziva are my aunties. Tims my uncle and Gibbs is my special uncle."

Tony had only the time to nod.

"But I needs a grandpa," Michael said matter of fact and widened his arms. "I and Ducky haves a deal," he turned to the older man that was smiling at him for a brief moment then he looked at his dad again. "Hes my grandpa now and yous cannot let him go away from me... Is need a grandpa and he says yes so you gots to keep him with us... grandpa Ducky cannot lives alone," and he finally took a breath.

At that point all people in the room had tears in their eyes.

Tony scooped Michael up in his arms and went to Ducky, "Michael's right. He needs a grandpa and no one could be better for this role than you."

"Anthony, I..." the older man choked as a lump rose in his throat.

"Jimmy told us that you already know what is going to happen," Tony said and saw the former ME's nod. "I'm happy to introduce you the new... or should I say old?" Tony joked. "MCRT."

"So you accepted the assignment?" Ducky asked.

"Yes! We're going to work all together again," Ziva smiled happily.

"When I'll start working again, I'll need a trustworthy person who can pick up Michael after kindergarten and stay with him until I come home. I'll never leave my son with a babysitter because he or she could be a psychopath," Tony said seriously but his friends laughed at his comment.

He glared at all of them and added, "A grandpa is the perfect man for this extremely important task. You have so many stories that will teach him more than I ever could. Ducky, my son and I... we all still need your wisdom, support and love. We still need you in our lives," Tony's voice cracked with emotion as he squeezed the older man shoulder and then hugged him.

Michael threw his arms around Ducky's neck and kissed him on his cheek.

Abby, Ziva, McGee and Palmer gathered around Michael, Tony and Ducky and joined them in a team hug.

In Stillwater, Gibbs and Jack watched the scene on the laptop's screen. They want to be part of the hug too but they weren't sad because they knew that, very soon, their weird dysfunctional family would be reunited again.

Gibbs took a deep breath, looked at his father and received a firm nod. He opened his cell and after a few seconds he said, "Tobias... I need Mark in DC ASAP."

TBC


- In July 2011, NCIS Headquarters relocated to Quantico, VA, (per direction of Base Realignment and Closure 2005), so I decided to move the fictional MCRT too.

You can find more info about NCIS and FBI in Quantico on (without spaces):

www .quantico . usmc . mil

www . ncis . navy . mil / AboutNCIS / Locations HQ / Pages / default. aspx

en . wikipedia wiki / Washington_Navy_Yard

www . fbi . gov / about-us / training

www . mitchpileggi Deep_Background / resources /fbi / quantico . htm

Let me know what you think. Thank you :)

See on the next chapter!