"You all good?"

Alex nodded. "Yep"

They put their shopping through the checkout and with Alex nibbling on an apple they caught a taxi back to Gibbs house.

"How long has Gibbs lived here?" Alex asked, tracing her fingers over the framework of the boat in the basement.

"Honestly, I have no idea" Tony looked surprised, the thought had never occurred to him. "Since before I've known him at least"

Alex nodded, still slowly circling the smooth wooden frame.

"Where is Agent Gibbs anyway?"

Tony smiled. "I don't know but I have a feeling" he said.

Just on cue Gibbs appeared above them in the doorframe.

"DiNozzo, Alex, time to get outta here"

"Come on Boss, I haven't even got round to explaining to Alex the name of the boat" Tony shrunk slightly under Gibbs stare. "Home, here we come".

Gibbs dropped them at the door and helped them take the groceries inside.

"It stinks of paint in here" Alex said, wrinkling her nose. "Tony, are you sure you don't secretly have a basement with a boat too?"

"I use Gibbs one" Tony informed her, dropping some of the groceries on the bench. He passed her the clothes they had bought. "Go put these away"

She wandered off down the hall with her arms full, humming to herself. Tony and Gibbs followed, both smiling. They knew what was about to happen.

Alex gave the door an elbow and it swung open, revealing the recently refurbished inside.

"Seriously?" she broke off in mid hum. The room was now a soft umber. A recycled timber bureau sat on the far left wall with a mirror hanging above. In the centre of the room was a double bed, covered by a duvet. A bookcase stood under the window, filled with novels and small figurines, no doubt placed there by Abby. Ziva and McGee had both left their touches there too, Ziva's in the form of small fairy lights, twisted across the room and McGee's in the form of a matching desk with a sound system, laptop and a TV on the wall opposite the bed. Alex couldn't believe the effort that they had gone too, each agent putting their own small touch in the room for her. By far her favourite thing about the room though was the patchwork quilt that covered the bed. Alex recognised it as the one that her mother had made shortly before she had died. Made of thrift shop materials the quilt was the only thing Alex had missed while being on the streets.

"Gibbs, Tony, I…." she choked slightly, a tear caught in her eye. Alex spun around, hugging Tony around his waist.

"Thank you"

"This is your space" Tony told her, running his fingers lightly through the ends of her hair. "We don't come in here without your permission"

"But I still don't understand?" she whispered. "Why...why me?"

"Because everyone deserves a home" Tony said quietly, "and a family".

Alex released him. She swiped her finger under her eye before shaking it at Gibbs.

"You are one sneaky cop"

Gibbs smiled at her. "You have to be to work with Tony"

"Hey" Tony said indignantly.

Gibbs glanced at the sky, growing ever darker as the autumn days grew shorter.

"You gonna offer me dinner DiNozzo?"

"I don't need to offer Boss. I know you'd stay anyway" Tony quipped. "Steak?"

Gibbs nodded.

"Right. I'll start on dinner. You good to check out your new room and put your stuff away?" Tony asked Alex.

She nodded and started to pick up the bags she had put down. Tony and Gibbs left to the kitchen.

"Boss do you mind starting on the veges? I was gonna do takeout but Abby informed me that it was not proper food" Tony frowned. "I don't see how but anyway. I have to ring social services"

"No need DiNozzo"

"But I ne…..you didn't"

"Didn't what?"

"Already okay Alex staying with me?" Tony asked.

"The director put in a word. You'd better have not changed your mind cause she's staying indefinitely"

"Oh, wow, um, thanks Boss" Tony blustered.

Gibbs nodded and started to pull vegetables from the grocery bags. They worked in silence peeling, chopping and preparing dinner.

Alex finished putting away her new clothes. Sitting down on the bed she glanced at the bedside table and broke into a smile. There was a picture of her and her mother in a carved photo frame she could only believe was made by Gibbs.

"You don't have to worry and more mum. I'm taken care of" she whispered.

"I'll go see if Alex is ready" Tony set off down to her room. He knocked but there was no reply.

"Alex?" he said gently, hoping to god she hadn't run off. He pushed her door open and saw the sprawled figure of her asleep on the bed, clutching the photo. He crossed to her and gently pulled the photo frame out of her hand.

"I'll look after her" he whispered to no one in particular before placing it back on the bedside table

Unfolding a blanket form the end of her bed he draped it quietly over her, pulling it up over her shoulders.

"Sleep tight" he breathed quietly, softly walking to the door and placing his hand on the light switch, plunging the room into semi-darkness.

This chapter concludes the story. I've had no spare time as my exams are coming up rapidly, and I don't really have anywhere to go with what I have left of the story. To save people waiting for months for the next chapter I figure it's just better to end it on a happy note. Thanks to everyone for the support, especially SwoBroMaddy. I hope I've done you all, and especially NCIS justice. It's been fun.