A/N: I know, apologizing is a sign of weakness, but I really am sorry for the delay. Life, work and family caught up with me this week and I simply couldn't find the time to sit down and write. I hope this chapter compensates for the wait. :-) And thanks as always for your awesome reviews!

Chapter Fifteen.

Gibbs wasn't quite sure how long they had been standing there, just holding on to each other, when Tony eventually let go of him. Gibbs looked at him and realized with a start that Tony's eyes were red and that he had apparently cried silently just now. Gibbs was about to reach up to his face and wipe away the tears when Tony stepped away from him and sat back down on a chair right next to him. In a lack of other options, Gibbs did the same, pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to come up with something to diffuse the tension in the air, but he couldn't come up with anything.

"Sorry," he said, clearing his throat. "Didn't mean to…"

"No," Tony interrupted him, smiling softly at him. "It's good you told me."

"Yeah?" Gibbs replied rather confused.

"Now I know about everything," Tony replied quietly. "It's easier to understand why you do what you do… and did."

Gibbs nodded and then ran a hand over his face, desperately trying to regain some kind of composure. He felt a wave of something wash over him and suddenly realized that it was relief. Tony was right. He knew now, knew why he had hit him back then and why Gibbs was a bastard most of the time. And with a start, Gibbs also realized that it was good, too. Talking about it had felt good. He had talked about it to his ex-wives, but it was only because it had been a necessity and not because he had wanted to. With Tony it had been entirely different. He hadn't pitied him, hadn't told him to move on already. He just seemed to accept it for now. Gibbs subtly shook his head before he redirected his glance to Tony, who was still looking at him intently, his head tilted to one side.

"Ask?" Gibbs finally said as he realized that the younger man had something on his mind.

"It's just…" Tony started hesitantly, rubbing the back of his head - a sign of, as Gibbs had learned early on, nervousness. "Why wasn't it in your file?"

"When I started at NIS, I simply didn't put it in my record. No one needed to know and I didn't want anybody to know either."

"Yeah, I get that. Wouldn't have worked for me, though. I always need to talk things out, you know."

"I noticed," Gibbs replied wryly. "And it didn't work for me all that good either."

"What do you mean?" Tony asked confused, leaning closer ever so slightly.

"Two of my ex-wives filed for divorce because they claimed that I never talked to them and I guess they were right. I told them once and then refused to tell them anything more about… Shannon and Kelly… I just didn't."

"Why?"

"Couldn't," Gibbs replied quietly and locked eyes with Tony. "Not sure I can now."

Tony nodded almost imperceptibly and reached out his hand again, taking Gibbs' into his own. He remained silent for a few moments and just when Gibbs wanted to say something, Tony beat him to it.

"You don't have to," he whispered.

"I know," the older man replied, squeezing the younger man's hand. "But I… I think I want to."

"Okay," Tony said, suddenly smiling broadly at him. "I'm honored."

Gibbs couldn't help but snort at that and felt himself relax ever so slightly. He picked up Kelly's drawing with his free hand and looked at it for a moment before he stood up and all but pulled Tony into the living-room with him. He hesitated for a moment, waiting for the wave of nausea to hit him like it always did at the prospect of talking about Shannon and Kelly, but it never came. Taking a deep breath, he opened up the drawer where his most precious belonging was stored. He picked up a couple of pictures and then sat down on the couch next to Tony.

"Are you sure?" Tony all but whispered, his eyes once again locked on Gibbs'.

"Yeah," he just said and then handed the photos to him. "That's Shannon, Kelly and me at the shore on Kelly's sixth birthday," he explained the first picture. "We promised to take her horseback riding for months. She was so excited, she dragged us out of bed at five o'clock in the morning."

"She's beautiful," Tony said, never looking up from the picture in his hand. "She looked just like her mom."

"Yeah," Gibbs conceded, feeling a pang of loneliness inside of him, but it faded fairly quickly when Tony briefly glanced at him before he moved on to the next picture which showed Shannon and Gibbs on their wedding day.

"You were young."

"We were," Gibbs agreed, taking the picture from Tony's hand and running a finger over his bride's face. "Didn't make a difference, though. When I first met her I knew that she was it. One smile and she had me."

"That's sweet," Tony replied, looking at him again. "You looked good, too. No gray hair and all. And that uniform."

He let out a whistle and Gibbs couldn't help but laugh at that. He knew the statement to be what is was – a diffusion of the still hovering tension between them – but it worked nonetheless. He finally relaxed completely and leaned back against the backrest of the couch. Tony followed suit and let his head rest on top of it before he turned ever so slightly to look at him. His eyes seemed to be greener than usual and Gibbs' heart sped up again ever so slightly.

"Why are you showing me?"

"Honestly?" Gibbs replied hesitantly. "Don't know. Guess, I wanted to."

"I appreciate it," Tony smiled at him again. "Why am I different, though? Why are you telling me and not the wives?"

Gibbs remained silent as he contemplated the answer. He knew that Tony was different, but he couldn't possibly tell him that, could he? And how would he explain it anyway? He didn't know why he had a special place in his heart for the kid. It had taken him only three days back in 1991 to earn it and Gibbs had never been able to let go of the memories.

"You," he said slowly. "Deserved to know."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't treat you well back then, even though I should have because without you, I'd… not be here now. And as much as I didn't want to talk about them with anyone, as much did I owe you the truth. It's as simple as that. And I didn't mind either. Felt good actually."

"I'm glad," Tony replied and smiled at him again, an honest smile, one which Gibbs hadn't seen in almost ten years. "Means a lot. And you can come to me any time. You know that, right?"

"Didn't," Gibbs replied without thinking, causing Tony's brows to furrow. "I mean," he hastened to continue. "I didn't before. But now I do. Thanks."

"Yeah, about that," the younger man replied seriously. "I'm sorry about how I acted the last couple of months. I know I've left you hanging too much. I just… I really wanted to talk to you and really wanted to… I don't know, man. It's just… I didn't know if I could trust you. I know that I can do that on the job, I mean the way you saved me just yesterday was incredible. You have to teach me shoot like that, by the way. But personally, I didn't know what to think. I wanted to see the present-you and all what you've become since we first met, but I simply couldn't forget that night. What if you'd hit me again with no reason whatsoever? I've had enough of that in my life. I didn't want that again. So, I'm really sorry I've misjudged you like that."

"You got nothing to be sorry for, Tony," Gibbs replied gently, trying to keep down the sick feeling of knowing that Tony had been hit before - by his father probably. "I should have told you earlier. I'm sorry."

Tony nodded and then let out a deep breath, filling the air with the rather disgusting smell of stale alcohol. He seemed to realize that, too, because he scrunched up his nose and waved his hand in front of his face.

"Jeez, I'm sorry."

Gibbs let out a laugh and sat up again, bumping his shoulder against Tony's ever so slightly.

"Stop apologizing."

"You're right, we've overdone it," Tony quipped. "Hey – you should make a rule about it."

"Based on what?" Gibbs replied, still smiling.

"I don't know. It has to be something that doesn't let on that we're two softies in any case," Tony said, furrowing a brow. "Something like… it's a sign of weakness maybe? It's a John Wayne quote, too. Manliest man ever."

"Sounds good," Gibbs let out another laugh, suddenly feeling oddly light-headed. "I think there isn't a number six yet."

"Are you saying there's no rhyme or reason to your numbering?"

"Nope," Gibbs just replied and Tony started to laugh at that.

"You're a devious man, Jethro," he finally pressed out in between some chuckles.

"You already said that, yeah."

"And I got a feeling I'll repeat it again and again."

Tony was still laughing as he turned to look at Gibbs. The older man gave him another smile, causing Tony to suddenly calm down and tilt his head. Their eyes locked again as Tony moved closer ever so slightly, somehow looking serious again and Gibbs felt his heart miss a beat at the intense look on his face. He didn't know what was up with Tony all of a sudden, didn't know why the moment of light conversation had suddenly turned into… well, this. Without thinking, Gibbs had leaned even closer towards the younger man and their noses were nearly touching now. He had already closed his eyes, was already half-expecting the soft lips on his own when a loud ring diverted his intentions, causing him to move away from the younger man. He could hear Tony sigh before the younger man looked around for a moment and finally grabbed his cell phone that was lying on the coffee table in front of them.

"Yeah, DiNozzo," he said slightly out of breath. "Oh hey, Abby."

Gibbs watched him, trying to hear what his favorite forensic specialist had to say. He couldn't understand her, though it sounded like she had a lot to say and judging from the look on Tony's face, it wasn't all that positive. Gibbs cringed at the thought of Abby reverting back to the not-liking-Tony-thing, but then the younger man visibly relaxed again and playfully rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, Abby," he said, obviously cutting off her rant. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you." He stayed quiet for a moment as he listened. "I'm kind of busy right now, you know… no, I haven't stayed the night… no, Abby… Nothing like that. I'm…" He broke off and listened again, furrowing a brow before he let out a sigh and then his shoulders slumped visibly. "Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can."

With that he hung up the phone. He shrugged and turned towards Gibbs again, an apologetic smile on his lips.

"She wants me to come over to talk. Girl talk she called it," he grimaced. "But I guess after last night, I kind of owe her an explanation. I'd say I'm sorry, but…"

"I get it," Gibbs replied, disappointment settling within him.

"Okay, thanks," Tony said, rubbing the back of his head. "But, uh, if you wanted… I could cook tonight at my place if you want to join me. To eat, I mean, not to cook. Anyway, we could talk then if you wanted."

"I'd like that," Gibbs replied, feeling a smile spread on his face again. "I'll be there."

"Around seven sound good?" At Gibbs' nod, Tony smiled and got up, a strange expression on his face. "See you then," he said barely above a whisper and then quickly leaned down and placed a peck on Gibbs' left cheek before he straightened up and then all but ran out the house, slamming the door behind him.

Gibbs stared at the spot where Tony had disappeared to and then shook his head, placing a hand over the cheek that Tony had just kissed. He wasn't entirely sure what had just happened there, wasn't entirely sure he had already processed everything Tony had said this morning, but he sure felt a lot better, felt better than he could ever remember. And it definitely was a start… of something.