The football game the following afternoon passed in a blur of cold; hunkering down against the wind for hours but with his lover's expression clearly visible to Tim out of the corner of his eye, his primary focus was far from the cold and he felt nothing but happiness. There was no doubt Leroy was having the time of his life, thoroughly enjoying himself and the game as the Dallas Cowboys took on the New Orleans Saints. Truth be told, Tim was so cold he couldn't even remember who won. The only thing that stuck in his mind was the happiness on Leroy's face.

Even the warmth of the hotel shuttle and his jacket, which was still wrapped tightly around him, failed to warm Tim's frozen body as they were shuttled back to the airport after the game, their luggage already having been picked up by the shuttle service as part of the package deal. They had a plane to catch and couldn't afford to miss it. Too much was riding on these plans working out as they were supposed to, regardless of whether or not Tim was able to get warm now.

"Tell me again, why we're not just driving ourselves, Tim." Leroy pushed, knowing the young man would take it for the spirit in which it was given – that of the pure fun of giving him a hard time.

"It's a surprise." Tim gave back with a grin that welcomed the challenge of more questions, despite still shivering from the cold.

Smiling without arguing, Leroy resolved to enjoy the rest of whatever his lover had planned for him. It would ruin the effect of this all being his Christmas present if he resisted any more and that was something he just wouldn't do.

Even as Tim, once again, put only as much space between them as respectably necessary while they boarded their plane and sat through their short flight, the older man refused to make things difficult for him. Leroy couldn't help but notice the shivering and while he knew the distance the younger man kept between them was a façade and understood the reasons why, he had to resist the urge to make those shivers turn from cold to pure raw heat.

***NCIS***

Having arrived in Austin, they were now walking through the busy airport, with their luggage trolley in tow. While Leroy was more than ready to be at their destination, wherever and whatever that might be, Tim seemed silently determined to keep going, by the looks of things having some secret destination in mind. All the older man could think of was finally being able to be alone with his lover and enjoy the closeness they'd worked so hard to find with each other and become comfortable in, as soon as they stopped 'stretching their legs' as Tim claimed they were doing.

After what seemed like hours, they came to a restaurant that apparently appealed to him, as he stopped and pointed to it. With a sigh of relief, Leroy nodded and followed him inside, pleased that at long last they were able to stop moving and sit still.

"Guess you're not gonna tell me why we're eatin' here instead of going on to wherever it is we're stopping for the night?" Leroy asked with a smile.

"Thought you might be hungry." Tim shrugged his shoulders in an attempt to promote nonchalance, though it wasn't an attitude that fit him very well.

The response he received was in the darkening look of hunger in his lover's eyes. Tim shook his head slightly, his own eyes silently asking the older man to dial it back for both their sakes. Swallowing hard around the sudden lump in his throat, Tim quietly spoke into the heavy atmosphere now between them. "Let's eat."

With a look that promised they were far from finished with this conversation, Leroy gave his own slight nod and picked up his menu, turning his focus to dinner.

***NCIS***

Thirty minutes later, with their after dinner coffee sitting in front of them, Tim glanced over his lover's shoulder before getting to his feet and quietly telling him he was going to the head. Unexpectedly, Leroy stood, as well, freezing Tim in his steps. "Something wrong?" he quickly asked the older man.

"Nope. Need to stretch my own legs."

"I'll be right back." Tim replied with a warm smile.

Watching Tim walk away, Leroy was struck at how much the young man had matured since he'd known him. Lost in his thoughts, he almost didn't see the person who'd stopped next to him, as he turned to go ask to the waitress behind the cash register for a cup of coffee to go, offering them an apology before he'd even looked their way. "I'm sorry."

"Never apologise. It's a sign of weakness." The familiar voice said gruffly. "At least that's what my son seems to think."

Raising his head, his eyes wide open in shock as he took in what he couldn't believe to be real, Leroy almost couldn't find the words. "Dad?"

"Hello, Son. Merry Christmas."

***NCIS***

"… and so you see, Son, this young man here is quite thorough in his resourcefulness and planning." Jackson Leroy ended his tale with high praise for Tim's efforts to pull the details together.

"Yeah, I can see that, Dad." Leroy remarked with a touch of pride, his eyes twinkling with a happiness few ever got to see in him. He ached to pull Tim into an embrace for an intimate expression of gratitude; show him just how much he appreciated this priceless gift he'd given him of Christmas with his father; yet another treasure that Leroy would always keep in his heart.

"I don't get too many opportunities to surprise you, Jethro," Jack remarked as Tim appeared in the doorway with his luggage and added it to their luggage trolley.

Tim smiled broadly at the sight of the two Gibbs men together for Christmas and the expressions of wondrous joy that graced both their expressions in these first few moments of shocked greeting. This is what made all that effort and the thousand phone calls and payments and selling the Porsche all worth it. He wouldn't trade this moment for anything in the world.

"Merry Christmas, Son."

"Merry Christmas, Dad."

Clearing his throat, Tim looked apologetically at first Jackson and then Leroy. "We need to go. Our car's waiting for us out front."

***NCIS***

"So, Tim." Jackson spoke a few minutes later as they began walking to the car Tim had pointed to nearby. "You ever gonna tell me where it is we're goin'?"

"I guess being patient and letting people surprise you is not a family trait?" Tim joked as he closed the trunk lid on their luggage and walked to the driver's side.

Noticing Leroy get in the front passenger seat, Tim smiled as he got in the car amidst the laughter his quip had brought out in both father and son.

As the laughter subsided, the travel weary men grew quiet, letting the ensuing silence settle in for the ride. Not expecting any further conversation, Tim was surprised some twenty minutes later, when Jackson spoke. "So, Jethro, Tim - one of you gonna tell me how long you two have been together?"

His hands tightening on the steering wheel so tight, they were nearly translucent, Tim swallowed hard. They'd talked about this, he and Leroy; when and what to tell the Senior Leroy and they'd decided that they'd do it when it felt right for the both of them; sometime after the holidays when things had settled down and were more defined between them. Now, that decision had been wrestled from their hands – putting Leroy in a really bad spot with his father and Tim felt responsible. He hoped this would go well even though he felt slightly tripped up and tongued-tied. He had not expected this to happen.

Leroy watched his lover's reaction to the Senior Gibbs' question and hoped Tim would realize he had no reason to feel bad about Jackson figuring things out before they'd told him personally. He wondered which one of them would jump in and answer the older man first. Staring at Tim for a long minute, hoping the heat of his gaze would compel the young man to look his way, Leroy was disappointed when it became obvious by the way Tim's eyes remained locked on the road, that Tim wasn't ready; leaving this conversation in his hands.

Finally, Leroy broke the silence, which had begun to feel uncomfortable, turning to look his father straight on as he did. "Been working on building something for a long time, Dad."

That quiet declaration was met with another round of silence and it seemed like forever before Jackson spoke again. "Well, that's a good thing. Taking your time and making sure it's right for both of you; that it's what you both want; that you're both happy and that you truly care for one another the way you both deserve to be cared for; that's what's important."

Taking his father's reply for the love and support he knew it was meant to be, Leroy offered his father a response. "Thanks, Dad."

"How about you, Tim?"

Blushing, Tim nodded but didn't say anything. Blinking to clear his vision, he concentrated on his driving as he pulled in off the main road and stopped at a building that looked remarkably like an office. "We're here." Getting out of the car, Tim strode toward the building to get them checked in.

"Was it something I said, Leroy?" Jackson was quick to ask his son.

Breathing out a sigh of frustration, Leroy had his own question that he needed answered. "Why the different names, Dad? You almost always call me Leroy, been callin' me Jethro since you got here."

'I noticed when Tim spoke of you over the phone, he slipped up and almost called you Leroy once or twice. Told me all I needed to know. Since that's what he calls you, it's only fittin' that I revert to calling you Jethro – like you asked me to do when you were a little boy."

"Thanks, Dad." Leroy offered. "When did Tim call you?"

"Oh, the last time before last night was about a month ago – said he needed to confirm travel plans. He wouldn't tell me anything else about those plans he first called me about back in May, but he wanted to make sure everything would be good to go."

"So, you've known for a month."

"That he cares deeply for you – yes. That you're important to him? Since you brought your work to Stillwater. Couldn't miss it. You didn't answer my question, Son."

"Yeah. Dad. It was… Tim wanted our relationship to remain just between us. We were gonna tell you after the holidays. This trip is his Christmas present to me and he's worried about negative reactions from the public – to the point where he won't let himself be… himself."

"Well, that explains why you two don't look like a couple."

"Yeah."

"And you agree with him on this?"

"I respect his reasons. He doesn't want anything to spoil this trip. And I care enough about how he feels; how much being able to do this for me; with me, means to him, to support his decisions on it."

"You must really love him, Jethro."

Leroy swallowed hard as the memory of just how much of himself Tim had poured into Leroy's Christmas presents back home flooded his memory. Forcing himself to put that memory away, he thought about what his father had just said; Tim had planned this back in May, for him. Every single thing Tim had done on this trip had been for him. Come to think of it, every moment they'd spent together these last few months had been just as uplifting and endearing. Blinking back the unexpected moisture clouding his vision, Leroy answered his father from the heart. "Yeah, Dad, I do."

***NCIS***

"All set." Tim informed them as he got back in the car a few minutes later, keys and a handful of brochures in hand. Putting it in reverse, he shifted back into drive and drove them toward their final destination for the night. Along the way, he quietly offered them a little more information about where they were headed. "Two bedrooms with a 3rd bed out in the living room. Bathroom's in the hallway – kitchen's got everything except an oven. We've got an early morning appointment to get the day started so I'll unload the car while you two get comfortable. I know you've both had a long day."

"Tim." Jack spoke up, wanting to fix the way they'd gone off-beat earlier.

"Jack. I'm sorry for the way I reacted earlier. And I know Leroy's probably already explained it to you, but we were going to tell you later. After the holidays."

"So you were just gonna act like relatives this entire trip?"

"In public." Tim's ears blushed as he voiced that private admittance. "Still the plan."

Jackson frowned. "Well, I think you're only hurtin' yourselves that way – but I do understand your reasoning. But, don't even think of puttin' on any show like that for my benefit!"

Tim chuckled. "Thanks, Jack. Here's the cabin, I'll unlock the door and get the luggage."

***NCIS***

Fifteen almost silent minutes later found all three tucked up in their rooms, more than ready to call it a night.

Tim was quick to shed his shirt, shoes and pants, leaving him dressed only in his undershirt, socks and boxer briefs. Drawing back the covers on his side of the bed, he sat down on the edge of the bed and got comfortable as he maneuvered around to sitting with his head against the headboard and his feet stretched out in front of him.

Leroy stood still and watched his lover move, every movement turning up the heat in the older man's loins. It had been an excruciating day, not being able to touch Tim at all and he was more than ready to make love to this beautiful man who, at this moment was watching him almost expectantly, with glazed and heated eyes, obviously feeling the same way. Locking eyes with him, Leroy felt compelled to approach his side of the bed and before he realized it, his feet had taken him there.

Reaching out for his lover's hand, Tim gently pulled him down, the older man straddling him a moment later. With his arms wrapping around his lover's body, the younger man pulled him close for a kiss as they slid down together off the pillows.

It was but a minute before that kiss became a heated dance neither one could get enough of, their hands roving seductively all over each other's body. The moans and groans came without effort, though the ability to keep them quieter than usual seemed to happen on its own. Only the need to breathe pulled their lips apart and in that moment, the older man turned up the heat, his hands reaching inside Tim's briefs and wrapping themselves around the younger man's already throbbing cock, as he swallowed his lover's moan of pure bliss with a heart-stopping kiss.

"Need to be in you, Tim." He gravelly admitted as he slid down his lover's body, stripped the one remaining barrier from him, turning him enough to massage his hole, his breath catching in his throat as he heard Tim get the lube from the table where they'd set it earlier. When the cap was flipped off of it and a cool gel lathered hand met his at his lover's hole, Leroy' eyes flew to the younger man's; the want and need there deep enough, he thought he'd drown.

Tim's hands shifted on his and together, hands in unison, they prepped Tim to take Leroy in, the tension in the young man's limbs causing them to move and stretch wider almost of their own. "Take me, Leroy." Tim urged, his own lust burning in his eyes and filling his tone. "Now, please."

Reaching for the condom, the older man was surprised when Tim stopped him, shaking his head. "I wanna feel just you."

The image that invoked sent Gibb's fire through the roof and he swallowed hard as he lined up his cock and gently eased it inside. As Tim squirmed with the still uncomfortable feeling, the older man reached out and stroked his lover's cock, refocusing the sensations flowing through the younger man.

"Oh, Leroy." Tim moaned as his body shifted restlessly, searching for more. "More. Please, don't stop!"

When his lover pushed down on his cock where it lay still just inside, asking for more, the older man impaled him, driving himself all the way in, fully, deeply and with a groan of absolute pleasure. "So, good, Tim. So tight." He groaned.

Overcome with the fullness and the pleasure that ripped through him, all Tim could do was toss his head and moan, "Oh, don't stop. Oh, Leroy, so good!"

"Look at me." Leroy urged his lover as he drove his cock relentlessly in deep strokes in and out, in and out, his own impending orgasm approaching as his body tightened up in readiness for that flight.

Looking at his lover, eyes locked with the wave of hunger that held them in its grip, Tim couldn't speak. There were no words that even came close in moments such as this. As his heart beat wildly and his breathing became harsh along with the tightening of his limbs and balls, Tim tried to hold back, to slow things down.

Reaching out for his lover, he locked hands with him and gently tugged. "Let go," Leroy moaned gutturally as he pulled Tim's upper body up towards him and drove deeper into his tight warm tunnel, hitting Tim's prostate just so, his lover lost his hold on that ledge and was gone, his shout suddenly swallowed in a brutal kiss that nearly stole his breath away.

Following the wake of Tim's explosive release, Leroy was gone, too, his own exploding almost in tandem with Tim's. The strength of that release nearly stole his breath away. He'd never experienced anything like it before. Tired and completely drained, Leroy couldn't move as he watched his lover give in to the boneless state his own orgasm had left him in.

Still trembling and fighting for breath, Tim flopped back on the bed, drawing a limp and replete Leroy down with him, neither of them moving, still connected in every way, as exhaustion swept them both away.

***NCIS***

Bright morning sunshine filtering through the blinds on the window dragged Leroy from his sleep, his body stiff yet comfortably cushioned on a warm body that was beginning to move, stirring his formerly lax cock back to life. Feeling the need for a shower, he reluctantly pulled himself free from his lover and got up out of bed, careful not to wake him.

As the water cascaded down on him, he thought back to the intimate moments he'd had with his lover in the last 48 hours and it nearly sent him over the edge just replaying some of them in his mind. Finishing up his shower, he wrapped a towel around his waist after toweling himself dry, and headed back to the bedroom with a hot wet washcloth.

Sitting down beside his lover, he reached out and began to clean him up from last night's fun and explosive ending. His ministrations woke the younger man who apparently found the washing to be most provocative and arousing, as his now awake and rising member was attesting to.

"Hey.' Leroy greeted Tim as he bent down and kissed his mouth.

"MMM. Morning." Tim greeted as he squirmed and reached for his lover.

"Don't have time this morning." Leroy reminded him apologetically.

"I know." Tim answered as he reluctantly let go and got up. "But it'll be worth it, I promise you that." He offered as he quickly slipped into his sweatpants and t-shirt, leaving his feet bare has he headed towards the door, intent on making time for a quick breakfast.

Stepping into the younger man's path, Leroy kissed him seductively before letting him go again. "Already worth getting up for."

Smiling cheekily, he beat a hasty retreat to the kitchen