Thank you McMoni for the Italian Lullaby! You're the best!
It was the silence that woke him.
Gibbs had gotten used be being woken by whimpers, gasps, and quiet cries coming from the room down the hall. He would launch to his feet and run down the hall to comfort his son through yet another nightmare. Tony would seldom tell him what images haunted his nights, but he always latched onto Gibbs and refused to let go once he was brought out of the terror.
But tonight there was nothing in his house but silence.
Gibbs leaped from his bed and flew down the hall, his minds filled with nightmares of his own as he thought about why his son would be quiet.
When he pushed Tony's door fully open his heart caught in his throat.
The curtains were open and the full moon was shining in.
The alarm clock next to the bed showed it was four in the morning.
And the bed was empty.
"Tony!"
Gibbs dashed into the room and ripped it apart, looking in the closet, under the bed, between the bookshelves.
Nothing.
He spun and ran from the room, looking in the dark bathroom and sprinting down the stairs.
He switched on the living room light.
"Tony?"
Nothing.
He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he checked the basement before heading to the kitchen.
He hurled himself into the kitchen but jerked to a stop when he saw the backdoor was unlocked.
Checking himself, he slowed and eased the backdoor open.
He immediately felt himself begin to calm down when he heard a hushed voice floating through the dark.
"Tony?" He whispered.
The soft voice didn't change while he moved towards the noise. As he turned the corner he froze and then smiled in relief and confusion at the scene in front of him.
Tony was lying on his stomach, his head and shoulders underneath a bush and he was singing something quietly, his feet moving back and forth with the tone of the song.
Gibbs crept forward carefully, not wanting to startle his son, but insanely curious to what his son was doing in the middle of the night, three days before Christmas, laying in the snow, underneath some shrubbery.
He moved slowly and then lowered himself until he too was sitting in the snow next to his son. Tony shifted slightly, acknowledging his father's presence but not stopping the flow of words. Gibbs listened for a brief moment before he realized his son was singing in Italian. Gibbs smiled to himself as he listened to the quiet melody.
Stella stellina
la notte si avvicina:
la fiamma traballa,
la mucca é nella stalla.
La pecora e l'agnello,
la vacca col vitello,
la chioccia coi pulcini,
la gatta coi gattini;
e tutti fan la nanna
nel cuore della mamma!
Gibbs closed his eyes and let the words wash over him. He had no idea what was being said, but the refrain soothed the worry still shaking him.
After the song faded Tony began to whisper slowly and calmly into the leaves.
"Tony? Son?"
Tony wiggled slightly and shushed Gibbs.
He raised an eyebrow at the boy.
"Tony."
A hand shot out of the bush and shook at him in an irritated gesture.
Gibbs leaned back in surprise.
Well….alright then. Someone has some explaining to do.
Tony pulled his arm back into the dead greenery and continued murmuring.
Gibbs realized that his son wasn't going anywhere until he was done talking to his dead bushes, so he leaned against the house and sighed, waiting until he heard Tony make a small noise of victory and begin to wiggle backwards out of the shrubbery.
Tony scooted backwards, using his knees and elbows, his hands clasped closely to his chest.
He pushed himself back until he was sitting up, tipping over until Gibbs shot out a hand and caught him.
Tony stared down at his arms held to him, a small smile dancing on his face.
"Tony."
"Hey dad." Came the whispered reply.
"Hey. You want to tell me what you're doing?"
Tony glanced up at Gibbs, studying him carefully before opening his arms. Gibbs leaned forward to see what Tony was protecting so diligently.
It took Gibbs a moment to realize the orange ball of fluff he was looking at was a kitten in his son's small hands.
"Tony..."
He beamed up at him.
"I've been out here for ages dad, he was so scared. He's hurt too, but he wouldn't come to me. I thought he was never going to calm down. Isn't he cute?"
Gibbs rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the small cat shivering in Tony's hands.
Tony noticed the cat's reaction to the cold and slipped his jacket off, wrapping the animal in it, and cradling it close to his chest.
"You're okay, I've got you, you're alright."
Gibbs blinked several times recognizing the words Tony whispered. Words he himself had said countless times, holding his child close to him after yet another nightmare. He swallowed hard and watched as Tony reached down and ran a thin finger down the top of the kitten's small face.
Oblivious to the freezing weather and the fact that neither him or Gibbs had coats or shoes, Tony began to speak quietly.
"He hid in the bushes the second he saw me, but he was limping. He got stuck but didn't want me to help him. I think people have hurt him before. He was so scared. I talked to him, sang to him, just sat here with him. I didn't think he was ever going to let me touch him."
Gibbs looked at the kitten pressed into the warmth of Tony's jacket and held close to him and grinned at the irony.
He stood and brushed the snow off himself and reached for Tony, helping him to his feet.
Tony looked at him curiously.
"Dad?"
"We need to get him warmed up. Get some food in him."
Tony smiled and dashed towards the house, Gibbs glancing around the yard as he followed.
Gibbs shut the door behind him in the kitchen and looked at Tony who was at the kitchen table, carefully unwrapping the kitten. Shaking his head, he opened the fridge and pulled out some milk. Pouring it into a shallow bowl he carried it over to the boy and cat.
"Thanks Dad."
Tony guided the cat towards the mild and gently encouraged it to drink. The cat sniffed the milk and then began to drink to the relief of Tony. Hopping from his seat, the boy skipped over to Gibbs and buried his head into his side, searching for a hug.
Gibbs wrapped an arm around his son and watched the mess of hair on his kitchen table.
"So...want to tell me why you were outside in the first place?"
He could feel Tony smile into his faded tee shirt.
Tony looked up at him and grinned.
"I couldn't sleep. I went downstairs for a drink of water and saw the snow...it was so….the moon was shining on it and the Christmas lights were...I couldn't resist."
Gibbs sighed as he looked down into the sparkling green eyes.
"How long were you out there?"
Tony broke eye contact, looking over to the cat.
"I...um...not that long..." He hedged.
"Tony… what time did you go outside?"
He sighed and twisted his mouth muttering his answer.
Gibbs blinked and tightened his grip slightly on his son.
"You've...you've been out there for three hours? Tony…."
Gibbs his his knees and began checking his son over, ignoring the protest of his knee.
"Dad...Dad...Dad! I'm fine!"
"Fine? Tony you've been out of the hospital less than a week and then you go and lay out in the snow for hours in the middle of the night?"
"Dad I..."
Gibbs jumped to his feet and went to the phone and began to dial.
Tony sighed and rubbed a hand down his face.
"Dad, you don't need to call Ducky. I'm fine."
"I'll believe that when I hear it from him. Sit."
…
"Jethro, your boy is fine. Not even a sniffle. He had on a coat and thick socks, and while it wasn't the wisest decision for him to make, the boy's immune system is amazingly resilient. You told me you met him in a park, in the middle of the night, in October without a coat?"
"...Yes."
"And this seemed like an everyday occurrence for him?"
Gibbs sighed.
"Yes. Where are you going with this Duck?"
Ducky slid his glasses off his face and began to clean them.
"Well Jethro, I do believe that the many nights Tony spent out in the cold and dark, many times in an injured state built his immune system up. Unorthodox I admit, but at the moment he is just fine. I do not recommend he continue this activity though, it just isn't healthy no matter how well he seams. I would ask that you do not let him spend anymore time laying in the snow after midnight, but he for now he is no worse than he was, his other injuries are healing up nicely and I don't see anything to be worried about."
Gibbs nodded and said his thanks and Ducky gathered his things preparing to leave.
"If I may ask Jethro, what had him out there so long?"
Gibbs smirked.
"A d*mn cat. He found it hurt and scared in the bushes and refused to leave it until it came to him and he could bring it inside. Pretty sure he's keeping it, don't think anything could separate them now."
Ducky smiled.
"He refused to leave a hurt helpless creature? Stayed until he gained it's trust? Surely you see the-"
"Yeah Duck. I can see it. But don't tell the kid we're comparing him to a cat."
"We can always say we're comparing him to you. That would make his day."
Gibbs smiled at that.
"You think?"
Ducky chuckled and patted Gibbs shoulder.
"Well Jethro it is now four thirty in the morning, your son is fine and I am tired. Go see to him and his new friend. I'll see you later. Merry Christmas."
"See ya Duck."
Ducky walked out the kitchen and through the living room waving goodbye to a half asleep Tony who was curled on the couch with the kitten on his lap.
"Hey Ducky!"
The man paused and looked at Tony tiredly.
"Yes Tony?"
Tony glanced between the man and kitten on his lap. Ducky could see the dilemma.
"Would you like me to look at your little friend?"
Tony smiled in relief and nodded.
Ducky stepped forward and kneeled in front of the boy.
"May I?"
"He's scared."
Ducky nodded.
"I'll be careful."
"Okay."
Ducky gently ran his hands over the sleeping kitten, tittering to himself as he checked the small creature over.
Finally he nodded and stood.
"Ducky?"
"Well I am no veterinarian Tony, but the only thing I can see wrong with the feline is malnutrition and exhaustion. There is a small cut on the pad of his foot but if you keep it clean it should heal nicely."
Tony smiled at him and stroked the kitten who was protesting the examination.
"Thank you Ducky."
"Of course my boy."
Ducky stood and stretched and headed out the door.
Tony waved goodbye and waited patiently for Gibbs to come in the room. He didn't have to wait long, Gibbs came to the doorway, a mug of hot chocolate in his hands.
The two stayed quiet until Gibbs settled himself on the couch next to the boy, handing him the drink.
"Said I was fine, didn't he? Told you so. He said the kitten was fine too. Just tired and hungry."
Gibbs rolled his eyes and slung his arm over the back of the couch, pulling Tony close to him. The kitten looked up at him a mewed a protest at being moved.
The two were quiet while Tony calmed the cat down.
Tony looked over at the Christmas tree sitting in the corner, the decorations were crooked, the lights were scattered, but it was beautiful all the same. Tony and Gibbs had spent hours decorating the room, Christmas music playing and hot chocolate being shared. Tony had ended up tangled up in lights with tinsel stuck in his hair and Gibbs laughing until he almost knocked over the tree. Watching the sparkle on the tree, Tony rubbed the kitten's ears.
"...I...I really don't want to send him back outside. Can...I mean...can he stay with us?"
Tony looked up at Gibbs who said nothing, raising an eyebrow.
"I know I shouldn't have stayed outside so long...but I couldn't leave him. Everyone needs a home dad, even him."
Tony looked back down at the kitten on his lap and bit his lip.
Gibbs sighed and brushed his hand over Tony's hair.
"...Looks like he found one."
…
Tobias groaned when he heard his cell phone ring at the seven in the morning. Moaning, he rolled over in bed and grabbed the cell, cursing whoever was calling him on his day off.
"What?"
There was a soft chuckle over the phone before a familiar voice came over the line.
"Good morning to you too Toby."
"Tony? Good morning kid, what are you doing up this early?"
There was that laughter again.
"Been up a long time, I had an adventure last night, I'm sure dad will grump all about it to you too."
A disgruntled voice in the background shouted out.
"I do not grump!"
"Hush! I'm on the phone!"
Tobias laughed and got out of bed, smiling at the image of a nine year old boy being able to tell the great Leroy Jethro Gibbs to be quiet.
"Anyway, what are you doing on Christmas Toby?"
Tobias paused, his mouth opening in surprise.
"I...I wasn't really going to do anything, Emily is with her mother and my team isn't on call so… I didn't really have plans."
Tony murmured something to Gibbs in the background before turning back to the conversation.
"That's what we thought. We were wondering if you would like to celebrate Christmas with me and Gibbs?"
Tobias almost dropped the phone.
"Well...I….Don't you want to spend the day with just Gibbs? It's your guys' first Christmas."
"I know, but you're part of the family too, and it stinks to spend Christmas alone. We both want you to come. I mean if you want to...if you don't that's fine, it's just an idea, if you don't want to I understand, you don't-"
"Tony?"
"Yes Toby?"
"I would love to come."
He could feel Tony's smile through the phone.
"That's great! I'll tell dad, he'll be so excited!"
Fornell chuckled.
"Oh I bet he will."
"Yes he will."
"Gibbs?"
Tobias pulled the phone away from ear and stared at before returning it to hear what the old marine had to say.
"Yeah it's me. And yeah, I am excited. Tony's looking forward to you coming, and so am I. Christmas is a time for family, and that's what you've become. Now be here Christmas morning 0730."
Tobias smiled again.
"Yes sir."
"Don't call me sir."
With that Gibbs hung up.
Tobias set on his nightstand and laid back down, rubbing a hand over his eyes.
Christmas with Gibbs.
Well, he supposed there was a first time for everything.
He pulled himself out of bed and moved down the hall of his quiet empty house.
Walking to the spare room down the hall he pushed open the door and smiled at the pile of gifts wrapped and waiting, sitting on the bed.
He was planning on dropping them off later that afternoon, but it looked like they were going to get a Christmas morning after all.
So this chapter was inspired by two things. Number one, my cat decided to make writing seriously difficult by laying across my laptop and getting hair in all the keys. Not cool, but very cute. Also, Tony laying under a bush for hours talking to the cat is similar to what I had to do a couple years ago. My sister adopted an abused dog from a shelter but it was scared of everyone and hid in his carrier. I am a big animal person so I decided to sit next to the carrier and not do too much and see if I could calm him down. I just set next to him and read out loud quietly for a couple hours and then left. When the dog finally came out of his carrier he came right to me and sat down. He didn't let anyone else near him, but stuck to me the whole weekend.
Anyway, that's the end of my story time for tonight. :) Next chapter should be up within the next couple days. As always, I hope you enjoy and review!
Renee
This is the lullaby that Tony is singing. Thank you again McMoni!
Star, little star
The night is approaching:
the flame is tottering,
The cow is in the cowshed.
The sheep and the lamb,
the cow with the calf.
The hen with its chicks.
The cat with its kittens;
and all are sleeping
In their mother's heart!