Tony hangs his head not wanting to look at his Dad or Grandpa. He heard his Grandpa move closer to him and waited for him to speak without looking up at him. Tony had in fact played this game before and knew that looking up now, would be a mistake.
"Anthony Leroy Gibbs. Your room. Now." The voice was deadly and Tony wasted no time mumbling a "Yes sir" and scurrying past his grandpa, feeling tears forming in his eyes. He hurried up the stairs and into his bedroom where he closed the door before sliding down to sit against it, burying his head in his hands and letting the tears fall. When his head started throbbing and he didn't have any tears left, the emotionally spent Tony just sat there staring straight ahead, barely noticing anything at all. Suddenly hearing steps move closer to his bedroom had Tony hurrying up from the floor and into his bathroom. The tears wouldn't matter anyway so he could as well try to make it look as if he hadn't cried, be though like his Dad and Grandpa. Standing up he felt himself starting to sway but pushed through the dizziness and made it into the bathroom. The second he closed the bathroom door behind him he heard the door to his room open. Sighing he sat down on the toilet listening intently to the person on the other side of the wall. He groaned internally when he heard the contents of his backpack fall to the floor.
"Move it Anthony." The voice commanded all of the sudden. Sighing once again Tony flushed the toilet and washed his face as long as he dared. Opening the door Tony focused on the single finger asking him to move forward and tuned out everything else. Coming to a halt in front of his Dad, Tony kept his gaze down. "I want every note and report I have yet to find, in my hand within 30 seconds."
"Yes sir." Tony moved to do as he was told, quietly scanning his room to see where his Dad had looked. After not finding any other evidence Tony made quick work of gathering the rest from under his pillow, his trashcan as well as his closet. His backpack had contained most of them though.
"Is this all of them?" His Dad asked sternly as he handed them over.
"Did he give you them already?" a voice from the doorway suddenly asked.
"I thought we agreed on me taking the lead here Mike."
"He is my grandson."
"And my son.", Gibbs answered annoyed.
"They are all here Grandpa." Tony stated quietly, still not looking him in the eyes.
"Okay then, let's see what all this stupid grandson of mine has been up to.", Mike said and sat down on Tony's bed, snatching the papers from Gibbs's hands.
"Hey!"
"Can it Probie." Tony just stood there watching his Dad and Grandpa work through the quite impressive number of papers stacked up. Neither ever changed their expression but Tony could guess pretty well what was going through their heads. Not daring to sit down Tony felt the dizziness come over him again and made his way over to the wall to steady himself as seamlessly as possible, not wanting either man's attention at him right now. Focusing so much on keeping himself upright Tony didn't notice his Grandpa closing the distance between them.
"What happened to our deal Anthony?! You calling me when things got rough?!" Tony jerked his head up in surprise at the voice beaming that close to him.
"Sorry Grandpa." Tony apologized, briefly meeting Mike's blazing eyes.
"Your father is going to deal with this. You and me are talking later Probie Junior, you can count on that."
"Yes sir." Tony answered quietly. Giving a nod of acceptance at the answer his Grandpa made his way out of the room leaving father and son alone.
"Come here Tony." His Dad said quietly. Tony did so with more than a little trouble keeping himself upright on his jelly legs.
"Tony buddy are you okay?" His Dad was by his side the second he started swaying and Tony gratefully leaned on the older man sucking in the feeling of warmth and being safe.
"Just a little dizzy, nothing serious." Gibbs eyed him for a few seconds before ordering him to lay down.
"I think this is all a bit too much too fast buddy. Your emotions are going overboard and your brain is trying to fix things."
"I'm fine Dad." Tony protested weakly.
"Hey! You don't lie to me and you know it! Especially not about your health. You are going to stay here and rest until I say you can get up. You got me?!"
"Yes Dad." Tony answered defeatedly.
"Good boy. Lay back and scoot over a bit." Tony couldn't help the small smile that crept up on his face at his Dad's words. Just as he suspected his Dad climbed onto the bed next to him and just like last night moved Tony's head onto his lap.
"Thanks Dad."
"Oh don't thank me yet."
"Dad?"
"Yeah buddy."
"Will you ever forgive me?" The head slap that followed the statement was swift and Tony winced.
"There is nothing you can do that can't be forgiven. This changes nothing Tony."
"This isn't the first time though." Tony protested.
"No, and you are in trouble but nothing else changes, you hear me?! No matter what you do I'll still be there for you and you'll still be my son, get it?!"
"Yes sir." Tony grimaced at his own words, but when his Dad didn't comment on the sir he relaxed a little. "Dad?", Tony asked uncertain after a few minutes of silence.
"Yeah Tony?"
"Could you just lay out my punishment and get it over with? I know it isn't how this usually goes and I have no right to ask you this but please…"
"Tony! Think about my earlier words, don't make this harder than it has to be by convincing yourself stupid stuff about us. You are indefinitely grounded. Which means you and Tim aren't going to be left alone for even a minute. If no one can take care of you, then at least you will come to HQ the second your school ends. If I can't be there, I'll assign someone to keep an eye on you and unless stated otherwise you'll sit quietly at my desk working on doing all your missed assignments as well as a few additional tasks I'll give you later. At home you'll spend your time within sight of the adult looking after you, or in your room. The choice isn't yours though. As soon as we are back to regular speed on your homework you'll start doing extra chores to keep yourself occupied."
"Dad I know I'm in trouble and I'm not trying to get out of it, but signing an agent to watch out for me at HQ if Ducky or you or one of your agents aren't there?! I can sit at your desk and not move a muscle."
"The choice isn't yours Anthony."
"It's not that! I'm just saying that using an agents valuable time to watch over me?! It's HQ, it isn't like I'll do anything stupid."
"I have made up my mind Anthony, what I say goes. Now rest, you look like you need it and sound like you do too." Tony blushed and wanted to argue about the fact that his Dad treated him like a child but found his eyelids close shut before he had the chance.
-Just Like You-
When Tony woke up, his dad was gone and the room was quiet. Somebody had shut the door without him waking up which explained that. Doing a quick scan around the room Tony's eyes fell on a figure sitting with folded arms on his desk chair.
"Hi." Tony greeted quietly.
"You should have known better Anthony."
"Sorry."
"You lost my trust Probie Junior and this time sorry won't cut it."
"What are you going to do?" Tony asked worriedly, trying to not let his grandpa know how much those words hurt him.
"First, this." His Grandpa made his way over to him and delivered a soaring head slap. "Then the rules are going to change, and don't you dare argue with me Junior. Since I don't trust your word anymore I'm going to start checking in on you every time your father has worked late for more than two days, that's after your grounding ends. If it ends."
"That's no fair Grandpa!" At the narrowed eyes Tony hurriedly explained: "We've been home alone for 6 weeks! Two days is ridiculous."
"I've already talked to your Dad. Believe me when I say I never thought you'd lose my trust to this extent. Everything you do I'll monitor closely. Your school will have my number as well as Jackson's and Ducky's beginning Monday."
"What do you mean?"
"Your Dad has our permission to give them our numbers so they can CALL us if you, and for your sake I hope it won't come to that, get in trouble instead of trusting you with notes, since you clearly don't deserve that trust." Tony didn't answer, just waited for his Grandpa to continue. "Furthermore, I'll personally ask for weekly updates on your studies and behaviour and talk to your principal about coming down hard on you the second you step out of line."
"Are you serious?! You can't do that?!"
"Watch me Junior. All trust you ever had is gone so this is me taking full control of your life alongside the other adults here."
"The others?!"
"Oh you think it's just me pissed with you?! Think again Probie Junior. You'll have a hell of a time working on that and believe me when I say I'll watch you like a hawk."
"Yes sir." Tony wasn't about to argue, not when he knew his voice wouldn't hold and the tears would start falling.
"Good, now get downstairs before your Dad thinks I've killed you."
"Yes sir. Grandpa?"
"Yeah."
"Please make sure Dad's okay. This isn't how I wanted him to have to spend his leave." Tony said fighting against the tears.
"Why wouldn't he be?! He loves you Anthony, you better believe it boy."
"I know, but it can't be easy having such a screw up for a son."
"You listen now and you listen close Anthony Leroy Gibbs. You are not a screw up and the next time you worry about your Dad it better be for a good damn reason."
"This is a good reason." Tony argued.
"It isn't so let that through your thick skull or I'll do what my dad did to me when my brain didn't work."
"Yes sir." Tony answered, not satisfied and decided to take that conversation up with his other grandpa or Ducky instead.
"You remember that Probie Junior. NO thinking that for any reason!"
"Yes sir." Tony asked, knowing he was supposed to do that, but silently not agreeing.
"Good. Now get downstairs before I treat you just like I would have treated Probie."
"Yes sir." Tony hurried past his grandpa but was suddenly stopped by a grip around his arm."
"You better remember Anthony, I don't want to hear anything more about what we discussed. Is that clear?!"
"Yes sir.
"I hope so Anthony, I really hope so for your sake."
-Just Like You-
The dinner went by quietly, Tony keeping his head down, feeling both adults at the table watching him closely. His grandpa and Tim talked a little, but not much. Once the dinner finally was over Tony was charged with washing the dishes while his Grandpa had a short chat with Tim. As soon as the dishes were washed Tony was about to silently make his way upstairs when his dad jogged up the basement stairs.
"Sit."
"What's that?" Tony asked, indicating the paper in his Dad's hand.
"A list of all the assignments you didn't do. I want you to pick one to do tonight. Once you are finished you are going to bed."
"Okay, Math." Tony agreed quickly and stood up.
"Good boy." His Dad praised quietly. "I'll check on you after a while, shout if you need help."
"Okay." Tony answered smiling weakly. The jog upstairs didn't take him long since he had hurried past his brother's room trying not to hear his Grandfather's conversation with Tim. Sighing he found his Maths book and started doing the problems with ease. An hour passed but Tony didn't even notice being too caught up in his work. He had actually done most of his work in the classroom, only failed to do the homework, which he now was thankful for since he had the basic knowledge on how to solve the problems. He marked a few to ask his Dad about later, but didn't stop to get him since he was on a roll. Having done half of his missed Math's assignments Tony finally deemed himself done and closed the book. Leaning back on the chair he suddenly became aware of a presence in the room. Startled he turned around to see his Dad leaning against the wall.
"How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough to know you don't have any problem doing the work, which leads me to the ultimate question of why?"
"I missed you." Tony whispered, pleading with his eyes for his Dad to understand that without him having to explain it further.
"So all of this?!"
"Was to get your attention."
"Then why not leave those notes or test on the table for me to find? Why hide them and forge my signature?"
"I did more than once, but I always chickened out before you came home."
-Flashback-
Tony quietly made his way downstairs in the darkness, heading for the kitchen. Earlier that day, Tony had left one of the notes on the table for his Dad to find but now on the verge of sleep he had changed his mind, realizing that unless the case was closed he really didn't want his Dad to know. His Dad had enough with the case without having to deal with him as well, or worse taking time off to deal with him when he really couldn't be away from work.
"Tony? Is it you?" Clearly Tony hadn't been as careful as he thought he had since Tim was awake.
"Yeah buddy, all clear."
"What's happening?"
"Nothing Tim, go back to sleep."
"What are you doing up?"
"I forgot something down here that I need tomorrow, you know what Dad says about packing your school bag the night before."
"Okay. Goodnight Tony."
"Good night buddy."
-Flashback ending-
"You should have just told me Tony, one way or another."
"I know."
"So why didn't you?"
"I didn't want you to have to focus on that during your case and I didn't want to be in trouble, not really."
"Okay. Let me check over your Math while you get ready for bed."
"Okay." Tony sighing handed over the workbook to his Dad, having the growing suspicion this was what his future looked like. Too tired to say anything though Tony brushed his teeth and changed into pyjamas before once again facing his Dad.
"Good work buddy. We'll look over the rest tomorrow, now jump in." Once Tony was tucked into bed his Dad kissed him on the forehead. "Love you buddy."
"Love you too Dad." Tony wouldn't say anything but he breathed out a sigh of relief when his Dad took the desk chair and rolled it over to his bed, sitting down on it and running a hand through Tony's hair affectionally. Leaning into the touch as much as he possibly could, Tony fell asleep within a minute even though he tried to stay awake to listen to his Dad's murmured reassurances.