Tony, Charlie and Kelly spend most of July in Stillwater only coming back when a case worker wanted to check out Tony's living conditions before the adoption would be approved. She gave them a hard time so Arthur called a few people and favors so the adoption was approved the first week of August making them relax for the first time all summer about it. Jackson joins them for the adoption planning to take them out to celebrate.
"Okay Tony, you have to choose where we're going out to eat after the adoption."
"Why me?" Tony was confused and Gibbs could tell he really didn't get it.
"Well we're celebrating your adoption. It's not going to be bit or fancy just us, dad and Charlie's family. Charlie and Camille think you would enjoy eating at Kings Table but I don't know if an all you can eat buffet is your idea of celebrating."
"That would be perfect." Gibbs was surprised. "I used to love the one in New York and Aunt Camille took us last week and it tastes the same Charlie and I used to love going for our birthdays."
"If that's where you want to go then that's where we'll go." The day of the adoption they all held their breaths until it was official and Tony became Anthony Jackson DiNozzo Gibbs."
"How does it feel Tony? Are you happy?" Tony nods,
"Yeah, it felt like waiting for the other shoe to drop. Now that it went through …" Jackson smiles,
"It feels like the weight of a house is lifted off your shoulders?" Tony laughs,
"I didn't think of it that way but yeah pretty much." Gibbs smiles,
"Let's go change before meeting the others. We're supposed to call them when we're ready to go." They were leaving with Arthur when someone called out to Tony.
"Junior!" They turn and someone ran at Tony hugging him while crying..
"Maddie, what happened?" Her dad Jerry joins them.
"Jethro, Arthur … what are you guys doing here? Tony are you okay? I heard about Anthony when I came home on emergency leave but wasn't sure where to find you."
"You guys know each other? Arthur's my lawyer and we're here because I just adopted Tony. How do you guys know each other?"
"We went to college together and well we meant for us to have kids together but Maddie's the only one we had but I still think of Tony, Charlie and Jimmy as my nephews."
"Where's Aunt Gracie?"
"She was arrested and I have to go back on deployment in a week. She's going to serve up to 5 years and I can't find a guardian for Maddie so when I saw you and Arthur …"
"She's welcome to come stay with us. Like I said Arthur's my lawyer and I'm sure he can help."
"Thank you but we know about Shannon and Kelly and I'm sure …"
"What about me?" Maddie looks away from Tony and then throws herself at Kelly.
"Kelly!" Jerry smiles,
"We heard both Kelly and Shannon died in a car accident."
"Shannon did but Tony was there and saved Kelly that's how we met and then I got custody of him." Arthur nods,
"While I know Camille would love to keep Maddie it looks like with Kelly might be a better option." Jerry nods looking at Gibbs and Tony.
"I don't mind what about you Tony?"
"I don't know is she still a brat?" Maddie glares at him.
"Hey!" Arthur and Jerry laugh,
"She can be but Kelly brings out the best in her. Kind of like you and Charlie." Gibbs laughs they do remind me of how Kelly and Maddie get." Tony groans.
"Uh oh, double trouble." After a quick call to Camille to tell her they were running late but would bring a surprise Arthur helps Jerry and Gibbs with the paperwork to make Gibbs a temporary guardian of Maddie until Jerry got home.
"Okay, let's go home and change and then go meet the others." At the restaurant Camille was thrilled to see Jerry and Maddie.
"I heard about Grace but we thought you were deployed and I've been worried about Maddie."
"Jethro and Junior are going to take her in. We were both at camp Pendleton so Kelly and Maddie are good friends. I was given a quick leave to find her somewhere to stay and was going to head to New York next week to talk to Alexandra and Jonathan. I heard about Anthony but wasn't sure where to find you two and if I didn't find someone to keep her then she would have to go into the system."
"Alexandra would've taken her in if we couldn't but I'm glad Jethro will."
"Can I ask what happened to Aunt Gracie? I mean for her to go to jail for 5 years with a kid at home …"
"I was told she was on pain pills and got into an accident. The court appointed lawyer told her to plead guilty since she didn't have a history of drunk driving and it would be probation and points on her license." Tony thinks about this.
"That doesn't add up to 5 years? Who was her lawyer?"
"I got a notice right before I was to leave over seas for the final part of this deployment that she was driving drunk, Maddie was in the car with her and she injured people in the other car. She got off lightly considering."
"She'll be in good hands with us Camille's a big help with Kelly and since she's fond of Maddie I doubt an extra kid would do much harm." Camille laughs,
"Well maybe but we'll see." They laugh and they talk about other things making it a light afternoon. When they got back home Tony and Kelly have a chance to talk..
"I thought Nonie didn't have granddaughters."
"Just one … you. Why do you say that? Because of Maddie?" Kelly nods and Tony shakes his head. Nonie and Poppy know them of course but she's Yaya's granddaughter not Nonie's."
"Charlie and Jimmy call them Nonie and Poppy and then Yaya and Papa though That's because Uncle Arthur is Yaya and Papa's son while Aunt Camille is Nonie and Poppy's daughter. The story goes Aunt Camille and Uncle Arthur were dating since high school so the families knew each other. When they were in college there was some bit even Anthony needed a date so they set him up with Mama and they hit it off. So two sisters married two brothers. I'm sure that Uncle Jerry might've too but Nonie and Poppy only had Uncle Connor left so it wouldn't be a match." Kelly giggles and they hear Gibbs laugh.
"I was kind of wondering that myself. The granddaughter thing and how they got together. Ruth has mentioned how Alexandra has granddaughters but I figured they were your other Uncle's."
Yeah that's all Uncle Roger has and Uncle Jerry with Maddie. Now Uncle Roger's daughters are spoiled but that's their mom's doing."
"Do you like her more than me?" Tony looks at Kelly knowing she might feel that way.
"How can I? Kel you're my sister and I love you for that. I don't like Charlie and Jimmy more than you and they're my cousins just like Maddie is.. I will treat you both the same but I can't love her more than I do you." This satisfies Kelly who hugs him.
"I came up to tell you we need to talk Tony."
"Did I do something wrong?"
"No, of course not. Let's have a family meeting downstairs."
"A family meeting?"
"Where everyone in the family talks about something. You never did that?"
"No, kids weren't usually allowed around if something needed to be discussed."
"I can understand this and you might not be included in every discussion or Kelly might not but this one." The doorbell rings and Gibbs frowns,
"I wonder who that is." Jackson calls up.
"Joann's here." Kelly's face lights up.
"Grammy!" She takes off and Gibbs sighs.
"She wasn't supposed to come until next week." They head downstairs where an older woman was fussing over Kelly. "Hello Joann,"
"Jethro, is that the boy?"
"Hi, I'm Tony, you must be Mrs. Fielding. Kelly's told me a lot about you." Joann looks him up and down.
"It's nice to meet you too." They look towards the living room where the coffee table is piled with presents. Tony could hear movement in the kitchen and wondered what was going on. "What's all of this?"
"I adopted Tony today and we're having a party to celebrate." Alexandra, Ruth, Jonathan and David come out of the kitchen with Camille, Arthur, Jimmy and Charlie while Jerry, Maddie and Jackson were already in the living room.
"Oh … sorry to interrupt. I just thought I'd come by early to see Kelly but if she's busy I'll go." Gibbs sighs but looks at Tony who shrugs knowing Kelly would like her around.
"Would you like to stay? This is my family and they're a part of Kelly's life too." Joann frowns seeing Arthur but nods,
"Thank you," Tony went to the kitchen where Joann joins him. "It's Tony right? What is Jethro's lawyer doing here? I mean if it's a party for you or …"
"He's my Uncle from the man who adopted me when I was born. We came to find that out in June when Dad got custody of me. Aunt Camille also comes around to help Kelly and she's going to help with Maddie." Tony knew Joann found out how they knew Jerry and Maddie so he didn't feel the need to say anything else.
"They seem very nice and Kelly seems to like them."
"She does and they treat her like they do their other grand kids. Nonie doesn't have other granddaughters and Yaya won't let Nonie outdo her. Since Kelly means a lot to me and Maddie she'll also treat her good." Joann doesn't say much after that and the adults wait for Tony to open his gifts.
"Okay all of these aren't for you Tonio. Some are for Kelly and some for Maddie." They look at Ruth.
"How on earth …"
"I told them when I went home to change so they wouldn't leave her out. I knew they would feel bad if they brought for Kelly and I knew Maddie was coming." Gibbs smiles,
"They wanted to help celebrate your new home." Tony found clothes, books, things for the computer Ruth got him for his birthday and modeling sets. Kelly got clothes, books and some things for her room while Maddie got clothes and things she needed. Tony's last gift was some guitar music and guitar picks.
"Thanks …" Gibbs smiles,
"There's more to it but it's in the basement." Tony thought this was odd but went to the basement where a whole bedroom was set up down there with two full beds, the guitar and a new TV set up down there.
"Who's moving in?" Gibbs smiles,
"I thought you might want a bigger space and you could use the privacy down here. We didn't move anything down here just in case and you don't have to use it if you don't want to but I was trying to do something you would like."
"I love it actually and thanks Dad." Charlie, Gibbs, Arthur, Jerry and Tony quickly move Tony's things into the basement while Kelly and Maddie try to organize everything. Later when everyone goes home or to their hotel's Joann decides to take Kelly to dinner so Tony and Gibbs decide to do the same.
"So … what should we talk about?" Tony looks at Gibbs oddly. "When I take Kelly out to eat she has plenty to talk about but you and I rarely have time alone much less a whole meal time."
"How did you know I like to play guitar?"
"Arthur told me, he asked if I minded because I wanted to send you where Charlie's going and their music program is great. He thought you might want to do that and sports."
"I would but I didn't have a guitar and now with Kelly ad Maddie after school …"
"They can go to after school care so you can have fun too. Summit Prep is a good academic school where you self pace what you do so you can enjoy other activities."
"I don't have to go there. I mean I know it's a private school and they can get expensive."
"They can but Ruth and David are going to pay for both you and Charlie to attend they made that clear from the start even if you choose another school they would pay everything. That's tuition, uniforms, your fees, lunches and whatever you need."
"Yeah I would rather take my lunch than eat at school. I would use some of my own money to buy the stuff though."
"She's going to send enough for whatever you need and told me and Jerry whatever she sends for Kelly she'll send though for Maddie not to be left out."
"I think that's mostly because Yaya will and she doesn't want to be the one who wont." Gibbs laughs,
"I think they might compete with Joann on that."
"Tomorrow do you think I could make a big family dinner for everyone? One of my pasta things? It's too much to make for just us three but it should be big enough for everyone including Uncle Jerry and Maddie."
"Sure, if you want to we can go to the grocery store after we have dessert. I do have one question though. How much will you charge me and Jerry to watch the girls this year? I know your school will start earlier and there's before school care which is fine but you also might have things you want to do after school and Camille will help but …"
"I don't plan to charge you dad. She's officially my sister now so it's not babysitting anymore. Plus I'm getting money from the trust and no, I'm not charging either of you to watch them. Yes I want to join footfall but most days any sport team practice is supposed to end by 4:30. I'll drop them off in the mornings on their bikes and pick them up after practice the same way."
"You really thought this all out?" Tony nods,
"I did to try and convince you to let me play sports after school. Charlie wants to play or do something on the team because that can count toward our Physical Education classes if we're playing a sport."
"I would let you anyway and figure out the other stuff later just like I would want Kelly to pay sports if that made her happy and she had fun." By the time Joann and Kelly made it back Tony was working on homemade spaghetti sauce.
"Are you making your spaghetti sauce?"
"Yes, I'm going to make a big family dinner tomorrow for everyone and Nonie would kill me if I bought the sauce." Kelly giggles snagging some of the pieces of tomato Tony was slicing. "How was your dinner?"
"It was fun. Gram asked me about Nonie and Yaya and if they're always nice to me."
"What did you say?" Joann was there.
"She said they treat her like another granddaughter. I can't say I like it but I'm glad they don't leave her out."
"They can do a lot for me so they don't feel it would be fair to leave her out."
"I'm glad." Joann sat with Tony as he got the sauce going in a slow cooker getting to know him. Tony had a feeling she didn't trust him so he was honest with her and hoped she wouldn't stare trouble for Gibbs and Kelly.
A/N: Sorry for the long time between updates I just couldn't get this done. I am working on what to do next I just didn't want to skip too much time to get going.