Tony was surprised when Mike stopped by the foster home 3 months after the accident. After the first home Tony didn't hear or see anyone from NIS and though he wished to talk to Mike none of the homes seemed to know how to reach him. He had been assigned a case worker who said NIS washed their hands of his and he was officially in the system upsetting him but he had figured when he heard nothing that it was a scam.

"Agent Franks, this is a surprise. Are you here to dump off another kid? Hope you didn't lie to them too." Mike had been searching for Tony as a mix up caused Tony to be transferred from NIS care into foster care.

"I'm not dropping anyone off I'm here to pick you up actually. You're coming with me." Tony huffs,

"Sure, you are. You said that it would only be a couple of weeks at one house until you were transferred. It's been 3 months and 5 homes. NIS pretty much abandoned me to the system something I didn't want to reenter."

"That wasn't my doing Tony. I was trying to transfer to the Washington DC field office and somewhere along the way you were listed as abandoned because they didn't realize your father gave me legal custody of you temporarily. They thought he abandoned you but I've been fighting to find out where you were and getting you out of the California Foster Care System." Tony thinks about this.

"So, what happens now? You're sending me back to my dad? It's summer and you said that I would stay in the system until the summer. I really didn't mean to do anything and I worry about Kelly but ..." Mike shakes his head.

"We're going to collect your things at the center that's used for storing foster kids' things. Some are orphaned and take stuff from their homes; are given gifts they can't keep at the foster homes or older ones have part time jobs to earn money to buy stuff they can't keep or save for when they age out. It also has a store of sorts where we can look through the clothes if you need anything as you look like you've grown a few inches so your clothes might not fit right." Tony nods,

"Mrs. Reese picked these out and they were already too small. She said she didn't need me prancing around like they had money and I couldn't pick out what I liked or thought would fit."

"Well you can today." Tony thought about the clothes and things he had packed and wondered if they were too showy or if the clothes, he picked out that day would say something about him. He had been in foster care before but was allowed to keep his own things though they visited the center for other kids who didn't have anything so Tony was curious about it.

"So, start sorting through the clothes and see what you think you'd like. You can take up to 7 full outfits for every day wear and 2 dress up outfits unless you dress up normally then you can do the reverse. Then we'll see about shoes and things." Tony quickly found some clothes trying them on but liked what he found. He figured moving to another state he likely wouldn't run into anyone he knew who might've donated the clothes.

"So, kid did you find things you like?" Tony nods,

"Yeah I think so. I like the clothes and they fit so that's good. The lady who helped me is looking for a care bag though I said you were getting my things from storage."

"It's a basic bag with stuff you can use and you can probably get other odds and ends. Comb, toothbrush, razor, tee shirts, socks, and the fill room has other odds and ends. You should've gotten one when you first went into the system. If you came for those clothes …"

"If Mrs. Baker got one, she didn't give it to me." Mike frowns but knows it's too late to do anything about it now. The woman joins them with a small backpack.

"Here you go Tony. Usually we fill them up but I got you a new bag and you can pack what you choose

in the other room. The prefilled ones right now are for the little kids. Unless you like bibs, small toys and stuffed animals." Tony smiles,

"The stuffed animal I wouldn't mind but I'll pass on the others."

"Those are in the next room as well. Kids of all ages are welcome to them. Let me know when you're ready to go." Tony went through his bags to sort through the stuff he packed donating stuff he didn't like or outgrew. He figured Anthony wouldn't care either way by the time he saw him next. In the 'store' Tony sorted through the stuff only taking some shirts, socks and a comb before moving on to where there were stuffed animals, assorted toys and books. Allowed to pick three things Tony found a sock monkey and just looked it over.

"I don't picture you as a sock monkey type of kid." Tony turns the monkey over and shows Mike the name Corky written on the tag.

"It was my cousins' monkey and mine was Corey. We both had one and were always mixing them up. After my mom died, they stopped coming around and I had Corky until one of my step mom's threw it out. Said it was for babies. Anything she deemed babyish or thought was my mom's she threw out and my Dad let her. Except for my pictures. I always kept them in his office so no one would touch them."

"Well then I guess it's the one you want?" Tony nods,

"Yeah, I think I do." Tony also found two books figuring he could read them on the plane.

"Do you want to know about the foster family? We're going to get there late so I can't stay and chit chat with you guys but they know some about you." Tony shakes his head.

"They're all the same. Taking in troubled kids for the money. I hear older troubled kids gets them more money so …"

"I don't know about that."

"That's why the Robinson's took me in. Uadoptable, hard to place, unwanted. They said my dad signed me over to the state so he wouldn't have to deal with me anymore."

"Well if he did that's news to me. He never mentioned one word to me and I'm the one he was to contact if something happened. Currently he's staying somewhere in New York on business but I left him a message about the move."

"He owns a home in New York, that's where we're from and there is a family business. The house in California he bought for one of his wives who wanted a beach house. She left him thinking she'd get it in the divorce. They had a prenup where anything not in her name she wouldn't get if she left him. The house wasn't in her name."

"Wow, and he kept it?"

"He finds women who like to have a house on the beach, I guess. I don't know I don't go there often I was just there after some issues with the boarding school I attended until Christmas. Came home for Christmas and never went back."

"What were the issues?"

"Dad never said just that they didn't want me back. It's okay I didn't like it much. I mean it provided a better education than some public schools but it could've been better." Mike nods having read some of Tony's background notes.

"Well I don't know about the school's where you're going but the investigation might wind up this summer so you could be home before the school year starts." Tony makes a face and Mike smiles. "I do have a message for you."

"From my dad?"

"No, from Kelly. They live in Virginia and can't wait to see you. She misses you and worries about you being in a foster home when she got to go home with her dad."

"I miss her too but thought it'd be weird if I asked about them. Her being a girl and …"

"It's only weird if you make it weird. Her dad's tough and rough around the edges but he got to know you and he sees how you pay attention to Kelly. You put her first which isn't common of a teenage boy." Tony shrugs,

"It felt natural." Tony soon dozes off missing the meal and doesn't wake up until it's time to land and

it's almost 10 o clock. "Great, just great."

"What's wrong?"

"I'm starving and we got here too late for dinner." Mike looks at his watch.

"It's not that late Tony. I'm sure they'll have saved you something for dinner."

"Foster homes don't wait for no one. If you're not there at dinner time you don't eat. I didn't mean to miss the meal on the plane but …"

"We'll go there first and if they already ate, I'll go pick you up some food. This isn't your typical foster home Tony and I think you'll be surprised." Mike gets a rental car and drives out to some address Tony had no idea where it was or how Mike knew about it. "I was here a couple of weeks ago to sign the paperwork giving them permission to be your emergency foster family if it wasn't official by the time we came out. I brought some of my things to my apartment and started all of that up."

"Are they at least nice?"

"Yeah I think they are." They pull up to a 3-story home with lights on upstairs and in the living room. Look up at the house Tony saw a small head in a window before disappearing.

"I didn't know they had kids."

"Just one, why?" Mike helps Tony with his bags from the trunk.

"I'm not a fan of kids and one just looked out the window at us. I don't even know if it was a boy or girl."

"It's a girl and I think you'll be fine." Tony doubted it but they made their way to the front door that opened as they reached it and Gibbs and Kelly were there. "Gunny, Kelly it's good to see you again."

"Agent Franks, Tony come in." Tony didn't know what to say surprised that they were there. "Did a cat bite your tongue Tony?"

"No Sir … uh sorry Gibbs. I just wasn't expecting you to be here so I'm surprised." Kelly hugs him. "Hey Kelly, it's good to see you." Kelly nods,

"I missed you."

"I missed you too." There was an older man in the living room.

"Dad this is Tony DiNozzo we told you about him. Tony this is my dad Jackson Gibbs. He's staying with us for the weekend to come meet you and just to visit with Kelly." Tony smiles,

"It's nice to meet you Sir." Jackson looks him up and down.

"It's just Jackson, no Sir and I don't go by Mr. Gibbs."

"Okay … Jackson." Jackson wasn't the first adult Tony called by a first name but it felt weird to call him Jackson. Gibbs helps him take up his luggage to what he called the spare room but was a good size bedroom.

"Okay this will be your bedroom. Bathroom is through that door, anything you might need should be there on the sink if not let me know. You're responsible for cleaning your room and bathroom I'll show you where the cleaning stuff is. You don't have to keep it spotless but if I can see a mess from the door you can't go anywhere until it's clean. I won't come into the room unless you say it's okay or I suspect something's going on. TV's got basic cable and you can watch when you want as long as you don't sleep in until noon the next day. Once in a while is okay but not daily. Do you have any questions?"

"What time do I have to get up in the morning? I usually get up by 7 or so sometimes earlier."

"That's perfectly fine. You'll be home alone during the day while I work and Kelly's at the sitter's house. I think that covers most things at the moment but dinner should be ready." Tony looks at his watch. "Kelly insisted on waiting for you to come before we ate. Shannon and I used to foster kids and Kelly know when kids come late, they're hungry. She thought you might've fallen asleep and not got to eat on the plane." Tony nods,

"I did but most foster homes don't give you anything to eat if you arrive after dinner. Agent Franks said he would get me something to eat."

"He's welcome to join us for dinner. Kelly will be glad we waited." Mike didn't want dinner so he left giving Tony a number to reach him at before leaving.

"So, what have you been up to Tony? You've been in foster care, right?"

"Yeah and not much. School, sitting around the house pretty much. They don't like foster kids trying to do anything. Nothing for class parties and I was already the odd person starting the school year, having small clothes, doing class work faster and always doing my homework."

"You had small clothes?"

"They put my things in storage and my first foster mom got me clothes that were too small. She said she didn't want people to think that she had money. I didn't want fancy clothes but wearing short shorts while everyone else is wearing jeans makes it awkward." Gibbs frowns,

"We'll do some shopping tomorrow. I knew you would need some things but didn't know your tastes or preferences."

"I have some clothes. Agent Franks let me pick out some stuff for myself. It didn't matter to him and I have like 9 outfits that can mix and match, odds and ends too."

"Still better safe than sorry." Gibbs was disturbed by how normal Tony seemed to think it was. "What do you like to do for fun?" Tony shrugs,

"Play guitar, I've been to boarding schools all over the world and that's one instrument that's the same in any language. I like fooling around with puzzles and stuff for college age students. I also read a lot. I think that's why sometimes school work is easy for me I read about a lot of things kids my age usually don't." Jackson nods,

"That's always a good thing. The reading ahead of your level that is. Keeps your brain busy." After dinner Tony went to unpack and got most of it put away when Gibbs joins him with a laundry basket of things when Tony realized he didn't have pajamas.

"Are you okay?"

"I don't have anything to sleep in. At home I sleep in basketball shorts and a tee shirt but I donated those without thinking in California."

"Well it's too late to run to the store but as long as you don't run around downstairs in just your boxers or underwear you can sleep in them." Tony nods,

"I've done that too but I didn't know what …"

"This room will be off limits like I said unless there's an emergency or I suspect you're keeping something illegal in here. I'm not going to come looking in unless the doors open and I'm passing by but I'm used to doing that with Kelly just to check on her."

"I like keeping my door closed. Not to shut anyone out but …"

"If Kelly's in here with you watching a movie or anything though I'd prefer you keep it open. Nothing against you but so no one says anything."

"Okay, sounds reasonable." Gibbs hands him the basket.

"For your clothes, stuff you might need or like in here. Once it was ready for you with fresh bedding Kelly insisted, we couldn't come in even though your plane hadn't landed. She said that it would violate your privacy. There are so few things that she speaks up about or is passionate about anymore that we give in."

"Thanks, is she still awake?"

"Yeah, without Fluffy she won't sleep at night until she falls asleep exhausted. That's why I have a sitter who comes here and then takes her out when she wakes up. I pick her up when I get out of work." Tony puts his suitcases away leaving the duffle bag out.

"Can I leave my photo albums out? I can keep them in a neat pile but they were put away when I was in California and …"

"Sure, as long as you don't leave a big mess this will be your room to keep whatever you want out. Just make sure there's room to walk around in and used dishes are downstairs when you're done." Tony opens the duffle bag and they stare at it since Fluffy was right on top.

"How did he …?" Tony looks from Fluffy to Gibbs who was just as shocked. "I had no idea he was packed with my things. It's been in storage this whole time but …"

"Franks told me but instead of wondering about it, Kelly could use it." They look up when Kelly speaks from behind Gibbs.

"Use what Daddy? Grandpa says we can watch a movie after I put on my PJ's." Gibbs moves to the side and her eyes grow wide. "Fluffy!" She rushed into the room and grabs Fluffy from Tony.

"He made an escape in my bag and has been hiding all this time." Kelly hugs him tight.

"Thank you for finding him." She ran to show Jackson and Gibbs smiles.

"You made her night I think." Kelly fell asleep soon after without a fight that Gibbs and Jackson say she usually puts up and Tony was glad he found Fluffy though he felt back he had him the whole time. Gibbs assured him it worked out in the end so where he was didn't matter just that he made it home.