It was the weekend after his son's mishap at school, and it just also happened to be the weekend, he and Jake went to Gibb's house, to help him work on his new boat.
"Hi Uncle Gibbs…" He raced into his arms, and Gibbs picked him up, welcoming the hug.
"Little DiNozzo." He smiled and put him down, patting him on the head.
"Can I go…"
Gibbs finished his sentence. "Go ahead downstairs, but be careful, don't be swinging any hammers till I get down there…we don't want a repeat of last time."
Jake shook his head, as if to say, "no way," and started to run towards the basement door.
"Another fight at school huh?" Gibbs motioned for Tony to follow him into the kitchen and the two sat down.
"Yeah it was nothing…but the Principal is really getting on my case."
"I bet she is, what was the fight about?"
Tony smiled. "You don't want to know boss."
"You're right I probably don't." He moved a coffee cup toward Tony and started to pour. "How are things going with Danielle?"
He sighed, which caused Gibbs to smile a bit. "That bad huh?"
"Don't get me wrong, sometimes it's really great, sometimes it's not so great."
His friend nodded in understanding. "Yeah and sometimes it's really really great, and sometimes it's really really not so great."
"I'm not gonna get another lecture from the Principal am I?"
"Are you kidding me DiNozzo? I wish someone would've lectured me a time or two about marriage." He took a sip of his coffee.
Just then the two of them heard a loud thud and an "Uh Oh," from the basement.
"Aw man." Tony said as he stood up, but Gibbs put a hand on his shoulder.
"Make some more coffee DiNozzo…and bring some juice down for the kid…I'll handle it."
--
Jake dropped the hammer out of his hand when he saw his Uncle open the door to the basement.
"I..I uh…" He started to speak but stopped as he head just hung low and he started to twiddle his fingers.
Gibbs stood in front of him and picked up the hammer.
"Sorry Uncle Gibbs."
Gibbs picked him up and set him down on the far work table, so he could look him in the face. "What did I tell you about apologizing Jake?"
"Right…I mean…it won't happen again sir." Tears were starting to form in his eyes.
Gibbs stared at him convincingly. "You said that last time…you also told me you wouldn't get into another fight at school."
He nodded his head up and down. "I know, just sometimes I do stuff and I say stuff…and I don't know why I do it…cuz I know I'm gonna get in trouble." He reached behind to smack his own head.
"Hey!" Gibbs grabbed his hand. "Listen, believe it or not, your dad says and does stuff all the time without thinking…"
Jake started to smile.
"Jake, you have got to start listening better, other wise you are gonna get yourself into trouble that your dad or me won't be able to get you out of. Does that make sense?"
"You mean like, hand cuff trouble Uncle Gibbs?"
"Yea Jake, like hand cuff trouble…so will you please try to listen better?"
He nodded his head up and down. "I promise, I'll try harder."
"Okay, now…let me show you again how to use that hammer."
DiNozzo watched from the opening in the door as Gibbs showed his son how to properly hammer a nail, and listened to the giggling for a minute before he headed down the stairs, coffee cups and juice box in hand.
"Got what you asked for boss." He handed him the cup.
And Jake made a grab for the juice box, getting an eye from his Uncle.
Jake nodded in understanding. "Right…Thank you Dad."
"You're welcome." He smiled. "So, what did you guys talk about while I was upstairs?"
Gibbs started to shake his head for Jake not to say anything but he didn't pick up the signal.
"Nothing really, Uncle Gibbs just told me that you do stuff all the time without thinking, just like me…."
"Is that so?" Tony looked over at his boss who had just grabbed a couple nails to avoid eye contact.
"Yeah…so he said I shouldn't feel that bad."
Tony and Gibbs exchanged glances and Gibbs just shrugged his shoulders.
"You're kid is sharp Tony, real sharp."
Tony grinned. "Well you know what they say boss, like Father like son…"
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