When he finally regained his composure Gibbs stood to leave Vance's office. He was halfway out the door when he turned back.

"Hey Leon I am sorry about the other day. Tony was sick and I just lost it. I'm sorry I shouldn't have unloaded like that on you." Gibbs said.

"It's okay I wasn't using my head either. I mean suicide that's not me." Vance replied.

"Hey if you ever need to talk you know where my basement is." Gibbs replied.

"Thanks Jethro I'll remember that would it be okay if I gave Jared your number?" Vance asked.

"Of course." Gibbs replied.

"Great and if you ever need to talk just call me." Vance replied.

"Hey why are you back at work?" Gibbs asked.

"I just needed to get out of the house." Vance replied.

"How's Jared?" Gibbs asked.

"Really good he was released from the hospital Thursday that's why I missed Admiral McGee's funeral. He's got a pretty good case of cabin fever going unfortunately." Vance explained.

"Oh that's too bad. Well I have to go." Gibbs replied.

Gibbs sat in his car and stared at his phone he had a lot of other people to tell about Tony's illness. Senior, Jack, the team, and hardest of all the twins. He knew that Senior needed to be told before anyone else found out. Slowly he dialed the number. Much to his surprise the business man actually picked up his phone.

"Anthony DiNozzo Sr.?"

"Hey Senior it's Gibbs Tony's boss."

"Is Junior in trouble?"

"No he's sick."

"How sick?"

"He has terminal lung cancer. The doctors are giving him three months at best. You should get down here as soon as you can."

"Oh uh I have to get to a meeting." Senior replied.

Gibbs was bewildered by Senior's response. He said he had to get to a meeting but he also sounded like he was going to cry. Did he care at all? Was there really a meeting or was he just devastated by his only child's illness?

The next person that Gibbs called was Jack.

"Stillwater General Store?"

"Dad?"

"Oh Leroy how are you?"

"Tony got his test results."

"Please say it's good news."

"Everything is positive. Dad he's dying."

"Oh Leroy I am so sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

"I think he'd like a visit from you. He only has at best three months and of that I don't know how much of it will be good. So it would be best if you came soon."

"I'll drive down next weekend. Anytime you need me just call I can get L.J. Moore to run the place and be there in three hours. Just call."

"Thanks dad."

Gibbs looked at his watch it read ten fifteen. Meaning he had time to pay Tony a brief visit before he had to pick up the twins. He arrived at the hospital signed in and walked down the far to familiar hallway to the ICU. As he waited to be buzzed in he looked at the patient chart hanging by the wall. He did a double take when he saw that Tony's name had been checked off. As far as he knew that meant only one thing his agent was dead. Finally the door opened and Tony's nurse walked out.

"Why didn't you call me so I could say goodbye?" Gibbs demanded.

"Agent Gibbs Tony didn't die. We moved him to another room so he could have more privacy and less strict visiting restrictions." The nurse explained.

"Can I see him?" Gibbs asked.

"Of course follow me." The nurse replied.

Gibbs followed her to the Critical Care Unit where they had moved Tony. So he could get more attention then the regular ward but have more privacy then the ICU. His new room was private and right next to the nurses station. He looked at the bed where Tony slept. The younger man looked better than he had the day before. He had more color and just seemed more relax. Much to his chagrin he was still hot. He knew the longer Tony ran a fever the more damage it did to his already weakened body. Gibbs noticed the bouquet of red, white, and yellow roses on the small table by the bed. He picked up the card and saw they were from Jane.

"You should make her the fifth Mrs. Gibbs." Tony said half asleep.

"Watch it DiNozzo." Gibbs half halfheartedly warned.

"She's good for you." Tony replied.

"Right now you and the twins are my top priority." Gibbs replied.

Tony only had enough strength for a short conversation before he fell back asleep. Gibbs sat and held his agents hands while he slept. Even after only a few days Tony had already lost weight. The ring Senior had given him at Christmas now hung loosely off his finger.

Gibbs was semi relieved when it came time to pick up the twins. He drove to the school and waited in the office. After telling the secretary to have Mrs. Ross send them with the car riders instead of to where the daycare van's parked.

"Gibbs!" Liz and J.L. cried excitedly.

"Do we get to go to NCIS?" Liz asked once they arrived at the car.

"Or see Tony?" J.L. asked.

"No I am off today and we need to talk before I take you to see him." Gibbs replied.

He drove the twins home and gave them each a couple of Oreo's and a package of carrots and ranch dip for snack. Once they had finished he took them to the living room and sat them on the couch.

"I have some really sad news about Tony." Gibbs replied.

"Did he die?" Liz asked.

"No" Whimpered.

"He didn't die but he has cancer and is really sick. The doctors can't even do anything for him. So he is going to die soon. I'm sorry." Gibbs explained.

"Sorry Gibbs" Liz said.

"NO!" J.L. cried running away.

Gibbs's heart broke at the sound of the small boy crying as he made his way up the stairs. Liz had tears in her eyes as she snuggled close to Gibbs. He hated this. Losing Tony would have been hard enough if he only had to tell adults.

At five he ordered three large pizza's before calling Ducky and telling him to come over to his place saying that he had Tony's results and was going to tell everyone over dinner at his place. After hanging up with Ducky he called McGee.

"Hey Boss"

"Hi McGee"

"Do we have a case? I thought you were off."

"We don't have case but could you call the others and tell them to get over to my place right away?" Gibbs asked.

"Sure"

"I already talked to Ducky. Bye."

"Okay Boss. Bye."

By six o'clock McGee, Abby, Ziva, Ducky, and the Palmer's was sitting around Gibbs's kitchen table. While Liz and J.L. ate in the living room.

"I have some news." Gibbs said.

"Go ahead Jethro." Ducky said knowingly.

"Tony doesn't just have a viral infection. He has lung cancer and it's terminal." Gibbs explained.

He watched the teams reactions to Tony's diagnosis. Abby and Ziva hugged each other, Ducky remained calm he had expected that news, McGee dropped his food and just stared into space, and Jimmy scooted closer to Breena.

"Poor Tony." Abby said sadly.

"Will he know our child?" Ziva asked.

"The doctors say at best three months. I'm sorry Ziver." Gibbs replied.

"I thought you cared about him!" McGee yelled.

"I do McGee." Gibbs replied.

"Then why the hell aren't you doing all you can to keep him alive?!" McGee yelled storming out of the house.

"Timmy!" Abby called.

"Let him go." Ziva whispered.

"I happier news me and Breena are going to be parents." Jimmy replied.

"We know that Palmer. You two started this baby explosion." Gibbs replied.

"Well yeah you know about the baby inside Breena." Jimmy replied.

"I thought you were putting on a few pounds Palmer." Gibbs replied.

"Ha-ha Jimmy's just gotten kind of lazy. Actually we are adopting." Breena replied.

"Yeah we wanted to have more kids but pregnancy has been too hard on Breena. So we decided to adopt and give kids with nobody else a family." Jimmy explained.

"Doesn't it usually take longer?" Ziva asked.

"It does that's why we applied while Breena was still pregnant. We were expecting to wait at least a year but we got a call this morning." Jimmy explained.

"His name is Ben he's five years old just like the twins and his current foster mother lost both her parents unexpectedly within a month and now has to care for her elderly grandmother." Breena explained.

"His foster parents chose to give him up because they don't feel they can care for him the way he deserves uh he is disabled and they have three children of their own." Jimmy added.

"Disabled?" Abby asked.

"Cerebral Palsy he is paralyzed from the waist down. Healthy otherwise though thankfully." Jimmy replied.

"I'm proud of you Mr. Palmer." Ducky replied.

"Thanks Dr. Mallard." Jimmy replied.

"That's great Jimmy. I just hope McGee is okay." Gibbs replied.

"I'll go look for him Jethro." Ducky replied.

McGee whipped his car around the corner. Even he was surprised by his speed. He was the man who Tony had told to speed up. Oh God Tony his heart broke for his adoptive brother. He hated that Gibbs seemed to just want him to die. Surely there was some form of treatment for him. Medical science had come so far. They had to be able to treat Tony. Tony was a survivor. They couldn't just let him die. He was so mad and going so fast that he didn't see the truck. He tried to swerve but it was too late. The Ford Escape slammed into his Hybrid. He screamed then everything went black.