Gibbs decided that Tony had enough time to think. He walked to the stairs and knocked on Tony's door. No answer so Gibbs opened it.
Tony lay on his stomach on his bed listening to music through his earphones. Gibbs shook his head and sat down next to him on the side of the bed. Tony startled when Gibbs suddenly sat down and lay a hand on his back.
Tony put his earphones away.
"Why are you here?" He asked irritated.
Well, Gibbs thought. This should be interesting. "A little less attitude kid. Why do you think I am here?"
"I wouldn't ask if I knew, would I?"
Gibbs had enough. He quickly lay Tony over his knee and gave him five swats on his backside.
Tony looked shocked. "I said little less attitude. Now do you think you could talk normally or do you want more?"
Tony nodded quickly. "I can talk." He said softly.
"Good. Now what was that downstairs all about? I tell you I am not sick and you accused me I am not being honest. Why would you think that?"
Tony looked away. Maybe Gibbs didn't even knew he was sick. Maybe that therapist they talked about yesterday would tell him. "Nothing. Just a miss understanding. I'm sorry." He said softly.
"Misunderstanding?" Gibbs asked in a tone that he didn't believe him and Tony nodded.
"Alright I let that go for now. Next. Your mother. Why can't we talk about her?"
"It's in the past."
"That doesn't mean we can't talk about it." Gibbs said.
"Yeah it is. Why do you suddenly want to know about her?"
"She was your mother. Sometimes it help to talk about things that happend in the past. You never talk about her."
"Yeah I know and we leave it at that. I don't ask about your past, why do you want to know about mine?" Tony could feel himself becoming irritated again.
"You could always ask Tony. I don't have a problem with it. But my past is not the same as yours and you know that too. You are still fighting your demons."
Tony crossed his arms. "so".
"So talking about that help sometimes but you won't talk to me. Maybe you would want to talk to someone else. A specialists. It could help you with struggles you have. Nightmares..."
Tony stood up. "You think I am nuts and need to see a shrink!!!! No way! No bloody hell no! How could you even... because of yesterday because I didn't understand something? Well I am sorry I am not that perfect... I... I ..." Tony's emotions took over and tears were forming in his eyes. He was trembling.
Gibbs stood up and held him in his arms. He sat down with him again and begins to rock him.
"Shh it's okay. I don't think you're nuts you are as perfect as you are. You're my son remember. Shh.. it's okay. It was only a suggestion. I just thought you wouldn't talk to me but maybe someone else. But that is okay. You don't have to if you don't want to."
After a couple of minutes Tony calmed down. They talked for a little bit. Tony wanted to be alone for a moment. Gibbs told him he had 20 minutes he then had to do his chores. 20 minutes later Tony came out of his room and did the chores that were on his list. Gibbs needed to talk to Ducky in private so Gibbs told Tony he needed some groceries and would be back before dinner. He expected that Tony would be done then.
——————————-
'Knock knock' somebody opened the door.
"Ah Jethro. What a surprise." Ducky said.
"Hey Duck. Needed to talk to you in private. Can I come in?" Gibbs said.
"Yeah yeah come in." Ducky said. They sat in the living room and Ducky gave him something to drink.
"So what was it you needed to talk about?" Ducky asked.
"Tony."
"Ah what did our boy now." Ducky asked and Gibbs told him about the conversation he had with Tony after he walked away. Then about the conversation he had with his father and of course about the conversation he had today with Tony.
"Please tell me, it is not a normal reaction right?" Gibbs asked.
"It is curious. Did he had a therapist when he was a child?" Ducky asked thoughtful.
Gibbs ran a hand through his own hair. "I don't know. He won't talk. That was why we had that conversation in the first place."
"So now you need to see a therapist if I am correctly."
"No my father suggested it."
"I think your father is right. I know a good one. Dr. Jannis Brooks. A lovely lady."
"Wait... wait a minute. Why do you agree with my father? I am not a big fan of them either. I am not the one who needs one." Gibbs said frightened.
"No Jethro but it will help the both of you. See it as a training. You need to learn some skills to let Tony talk. Sorry to say but even I am curious to what happen when he was fourteen, are you not?"
"Of course I am. It almost seems as if Tony lived in a bubble his whole life."
"Now then. I will make an appointment for you. Maybe she can see you tomorrow." Ducky walked to the kitchen to make the call.
"Ducky wait..." Gibbs tried to say but Ducky was already out of earshot. Gibbs pinched the bridge of his nose.
A couple of minutes later Ducky came back with a smile on his face. "You got an appointment tomorrow at 11 o'clock. Here is the address." Ducky said as he gave him a note.
Gibbs sighs. "Great and what will I tell Tony now. I can't tell him this besides he is grounded."
"Why don't I come to the house tomorrow. I will keep an eye on him."
Gibbs stood up and shook his head. "Yeah that is not weird at all."
"No just a grandfather spending some time with his grandson." Ducky winked and Gibbs laughed.
"Yeah good luck with that. I see you tomorrow. I am already late. Bye." Gibbs said and left the house. He quickly bought some groceries to make his story real.
———————————
"Where have you been!" Tony asked nervously.
"Groceries told you." Gibbs said and walked to the kitchen with a bag in his hand. Tony followed him.
"For 1,5 hours! And you come home with one bag... why don't you tell me?"
Gibbs turned around and sighs. "I met someone who I knew for a long time and we talked. Are you done with the twenty questions or do you want dinner?"
"Was it a she?" Tony asked curiously.
"No. Here make a salad." Gibbs said as he gave him the products.
"So a he..." Tony said thoughtful while making the salad. "You know you can tell me right if something was wrong?"
"You telling me now when to talk if something is wrong?" Gibbs said smiling. "No worries kid nothing is wrong. Was just a talk between friends like you have with your friends."
Tony looked at him for a moment before he accepted it. "Okay."
—————————————
It was 10.30 am. Gibbs still hadn't told Tony he would be gone for awhile and that Ducky would be here. Tony was sitting in the living room. Reading something.
"Tony I have to go somewhere for a hour or so. Ducky will come here while I am gone."
Tony looked up curiously from his reading. "Going where and why is Ducky coming?"
"Somewhere." There was a knock on the front door and Gibbs opened it.
"Hello Jethro and Ah hello Anthony." Ducky said as he stepped inside the house.
"Hey Ducky." Gibbs said.
"Are you going to answer my questions or not?" Tony asked frustrated.
"I already said I needed to go somewhere and Ducky is here to keep you company." Gibbs said as he took his coat.
"You know I don't need a babysitter anymore do you?" Tony said angry.
Gibbs ruffled Tony's hair. "Yeah I know. But it would ease my mind. Besides you are grounded and you still need to do your chores for today."
"Don't worry Jethro. I will keep an eye on him. Now you need to go or you will be late." Ducky said and Gibbs left.
Tony looked curiously at Ducky. "You know something." He states.
Ducky looked a bit uncomfortable. "Uhmm why don't you tell me what kind of chores you have left?"
Tony shook his head angry and walked to the kitchen. Ducky followed him. They were silent for awhile and that made Ducky uneasy.
"I understand you are not happy about the situation Anthony but sitting here in silence will not work."
"You can go if you want to. I don't mind. Gibbs is the one who thinks I need a babysitter." Tony said and crossed his arms.
"Well you did walk away my dear boy and with the confusion you experience..."
"What did he tell you?" Tony asked suddenly.
"Anthony he sometimes needs some advice. So..." Ducky begins but Tony interrupt him again.
"Is he sick? Is that where he is? Is that why you are here? Afraid I might follow him?"
Ducky leans forward. "Why do think your dad is sick? He already told you he wasn't."
"So he did talk to you yesterday. Is this about a therapist he needs to see?" Tony wanted to know.
"Anthony what did you hear and what do you know." Ducky asked. He now knew Tony heard a conversation that wasn't meant for his ears.
"That he needed to talk to you about seeing a therapist. What kind of therapist?"
"My dear boy. He is not sick. Is that what you were afraid of? No no Anthony. He needed to talk to someone." Ducky said kindly.
"A shrink? Yesterday he was suggesting one to me and now he was seeking one? Am I the reason?" Tony asked worriedly.
"Anthony stop overthinking. Just talk to him when he comes back."
Tony stood up. "So I am the reason."
"Anthony..." Ducky tried.
"I got chores to do." Tony said and went upstairs
Ducky sighs this was not the conversation he wanted. He decided to leave Tony alone for now. He sat in the living room and start reading a book.
————————————
At the shrink office.
"So finally I got to meet Leroy Jethro Gibbs for real. I heard so much about you. Duck loves to talk about work." Dr. Brooks said.
Gibbs grinned. "That he does.
"So what can I do for Jethro? Ducky already told me a bit on the phone but not the whole story. If I understand correctly Tony is your son but that also brought some struggles."
Gibbs rolled his eyes. Here we go. "He is my son yes. Tony had not an easy past."
"Can you tell me about it." Dr brooks asked and Gibbs told her the story they knew.
"So you think it could be a problem because Tony hadn't had a normal youth. For example not understand everything what a family does or walking around with nightmares without telling anyone about it." Gibbs nodded.
"And how did that made you feel when he didn't want to talk to you about it?"
Gibbs sighs. "Doc I am here to learn some skills so I could talk to him about it."
"That maybe Jethro but you are also here for yourself. You found a son who you want to give everything. You give him your love his safety. Your whole life is turned upside down because you wanted to take care of him and now? Now he doesn't want to talk to you about something important. That can't be easy. That must have been frustrated maybe angry even. Sad?"
Gibbs looked at his watch. He wanted this to be over soon. Better play along then so he could get answers. "Yes all of that. So what can I do to let him talk? Will he ever tell me?"
"I am already learning you what you should do." Gibbs looked confused at the doc. "Jethro you need to talk to him about how some things made you feel. If I heard Tony's story he never experienced some real emotions he could use when the time was right. Always after. Like the undercover work. You can't show your emotions while doing that. Tony has a habit in hiding things. And what happened when he was fourteen was a big one. Why else would you thrown your life upside down. There must be a lot of emotions. Jethro he trust you and depends on you. You need to teach him by showing your own emotions. Don't be afraid of a fight. It's all part of the proces. But always remember that you need to stop when it is going out of hand."
"And when will I know that?" Gibbs asked.
"That Jethro I can't answer. I think you are the one who can answer that."
Gibbs thought for a moment before he stood up. Dr Brooks did the same thing and gave Gibbs a hand.
"I hope to meet Tony one day. Maybe the three of us could talk if that is more comfortable for him. For now Jethro I want to see you next week."
"Next week?"
"Yes. I want to know the progress. So next week same time same day." Dr brooks said with a smile. Gibbs shook his head and nodded. He now knew why Ducky liked this woman. He wondered if he had dated her. He was sure that Dr Brooks and Ducky could talk about all kind of things all night long.
————————————
Almost two hours later Gibbs came home. The house was quiet. "Hey Duck. Where is Tony?" He asked curiously.
"Anthony is upstairs Jethro. Apparently he heard the conversation you had with your father and about you seeing a therapist."
"Shit." Gibbs said. "What did you say?"
"Well I told him you needed to talk to someone. What else could I say? He already knew a lot. Jethro he blames himself for you needing to see one."
"I really hope you talked him out of it." Gibbs said desperately.
Ducky looked at his feet ashamed. "He didn't wanted to talk more. He said he needed to do his chores. I heard he was busy upstairs so I let him."
Gibbs sighs. "Okay Ducky. Thanks for staying I got it from here." Gibbs said and went upstairs.
—————————
'Knock knock' no answer so Gibbs opened the door. He heard that Tony was busy with something. As soon as he opened the door he knew why.
"Why the hell are you packing your stuff?" Gibbs asked shocked. Tony had put all his things in boxes and bags.
"I need to leave."