Note: this is very short, but please enjoy it. This is a little pre-story, but as I wrote when I posted the first part. I didn't really introduce this story, but it is beginning to form in my head. So please be patient and enjoy the small bits as they start to form on the paper.

A dad-thing

Gibbs's house

Gibbs had received a call from Ziva a few days ago. She had told him that she, Tony, and Tali were coming to DC. Soon after, Tali had taken over the conversation and asked if they could come to his house. Gibbs had quickly agreed to that but had gotten a bit more hesitant when Tali had started planning how she was going to play with her cousins Johnny and Morgan and her friend Victoria Palmer. At first, Gibbs hadn't been fond of the idea of having the whole team over. Including McGee's family, along with the Palmer-family, Ducky, and Kasie over at once but the sadness in Tali's voice had quickly persuaded him to agree to Tali's idea.

Now Gibbs is preparing for the house to be invaded in just about an hour. He has spent the last hour trying to locate the old BBQ grill in the garage. Jack came over earlier to help out. Together, Jack and Gibbs had decided it was best to keep it outside since the kids most likely wanted to play on the grass. That was what Tali had talked about on the phone call, so Gibbs had decided it would be a BBQ gathering.

Jack comes out to the backyard with a wet cloth and starts wiping down the table while Gibbs is preparing the BBQ.

"When did you last use that?" Jack asks and chuckles while Gibbs is dusting off some of the worst dirt.

"It was my dad's. I haven't used it since he died." Gibbs says and looks at the old grill. Gibbs has so many childhood memories of his dad standing at the grill flipping burgers and steaks while his mom would be in the kitchen look out through the kitchen window at them. Little Gibbs would be playing soccer in the yard, and his dad would remind him to be careful with the ball not getting too close to the grill. When the first burger was ready, little Gibbs would take his seat at the table and patiently wait for the first perfectly made burger. The juice from the perfectly made meat would run down his chin as he took the first bite.

"my dad taught me how to do it when I was about 10," Gibbs says once he snaps back from the memory of his childhood in Stillwater, Pennsylvania. "He would teach me how to flip the steaks and how to light it up. When Kelly was about 6, she asked her grandpa if he could teach her, but he refused. I think it is the only time my father has ever said no to Kelly."

"Why did he say no?" Jack asks, a little confused since it sounds like it was a great pride for the old Gibbs to teach his son.

"Jackson told Kelly that it was my job to do. It is a dad-thing, he told her."

Jack feels the sadness of the memory from Gibbs, but she can also sense a feeling of pride in his words, remembering how his dad would teach him how to do it."

"did you teach Kelly how to do it?" Jack asks. He nods with sadness in his eyes but also with a hint of pride.

"Yeah. The pride in Kelly's eyes when she flipped her first steak." He starts chuckle by remembering the little girl's proud smile and stops working on the grill.

"I can imagine it was like little Gibbs when he flipped his first?" Jack asks. Gibbs nods with a smile.

"Yeah. Very much. Shannon was the judge of whether it was perfect. Just like my mom was for me."

"so, what was the verdict?" Jack asks, already pretty sure of the answer.

"perfect." Gibbs almost with a childish proud smile like Jack can imagine he would have the day he flipped his first BBQ steak.

"although." He adds and kneels to continue working on the old grill. "I think Kelly's steak was better than mine."

It makes Jack chuckle.

"well, she learned from the master," Jack says and continues wiping down the table.

"Yeah, I guess," Gibbs says.

"so, are you going to teach Tali today?" Jack asks.

"Nope," Gibbs says, determined. Jack look bewildered at him. "it is a dad thing."

Jack nods in understanding. Clearly, it was very special for Gibbs to be taught by his dad and teach Kelly. He will not take that special moment away from Tony, for from Jimmy or once the twins are old enough from Tim.