Author's Note: Sorry this took so long to post, but it's been a busy day! I had my first physical therapy session for my elbow, which is doing much better. It's hard to believe that I broke it around the same time I started posting this story.

I will definitely miss hearing from all of you – I have become quite used to seeing your names pop up on my email. I wish I could tell you that I have another story in this universe waiting in the wings, but I don't (yet). I do have a few ideas, but we'll have to see if they develop into anything. I actually planned to take a break for a few weeks, until a few days ago when another plot bunny hopped into my head almost fully formed. I think I might have to get it out before I can think about writing anything else. It starts with Tony in the hospital and works backwards from there, while he tries to figure out what happened to him and who he can trust – including Gibbs. I'd kind of like to play a "Misery" aspect into it if you've ever seen that movie or read the Stephen King novel. I'm toying with thoughts right now, so we'll see what happens!

Also, if anyone is interested in letting me bounce ideas off them, let me know. I don't really need a beta, but more someone who can give me feedback about when and how to develop certain aspects of the plot. Kind of like the thing with Yuri – it was good you guys stepped in and told me to let him live!

So enjoy the season finale (I'm so excited – I hope it lives up to all our expectations) and thanks again for all your kind words and support! I hope to hear from you after this final chapter!

Have a great summer – you guys are the best!

TLH

Tony felt a strong wind brush his skin and opened his eyes to a panoramic vista that literally took his breath away. He stood at the edge of a tall cliff, rolling green hills spreading out below him. Scattered white clouds floated lazily through a sky of deep blue; the billowing mounds looked so close it seemed he might be able to touch them. It was like standing at the top of the world gazing onto the most beautiful place he had ever seen in his life.

A solid presence settled in behind him and a firm hand rested on his shoulder. The smell of sawdust, Old Spice, and coffee gave away the identity of his companion. "Where are we?" Tony asked, his voice tinged with awe.

Gibbs' familiar tone replied, "This is where I grew up."

Tony turned his head to look at his boss, and broke into a wide grin. Gibbs smiled back at him - a broad, happy, joyful smile that Tony had never seen before. Then again, his boss looked completely different in a lot of ways. Gibbs' hair was a rich brown, his skin tanned, and his face smooth and unlined. The eyes were the same as always, as blue as the sky that surrounded them.

Tony felt safer and more at peace than he could ever remember.

"None of this is real, is it?" Even though he already knew the answer, he felt compelled to ask the question.

"Nope," Gibbs confirmed, his face turned toward the sun. Neither of them seemed to care that they were currently interacting on some other plane of existence that couldn't be explained. Somehow, Tony understood this was an extension of the connection between them, a way for him to see inside Gibbs' mind at a fundamental level. He felt honored and humbled that he was sharing this moment with his boss, his friend, his Father. A month ago he would have never imagined such a thing was possible, and now he waited at the precipice of an existence beyond his wildest dreams, comforted by the knowledge that the person he had come to rely on more than anyone else in his life would lead him through it, watching every step he took to make sure he was safe and secure. Not even as a small child had he ever felt so completely and totally loved.

"I never understood why," Tony commented, not looking at Gibbs, instead staring straight out at the horizon.

He could practically hear Gibbs raise an eyebrow into his forehead and took that as prompting to continue.

"Why do you want me to be your Son, Boss? I really don't get it." Tony tried not to sound insecure, because the question really wasn't about a lack of confidence. It reflected a genuine curiosity about what the vampire saw in him – why, out of all the possibilities in the world, would Gibbs choose him?

A warm breeze ruffled the other vampire's brown hair - he didn't answer right away, and when he did, it was typically cryptic. "Why do you want me to be your Father?"

Tony thought about arguing over answering a question with a question, but decided that in the spirit of the moment, he'd simply reply honestly.

"Because you're Gibbs; you can fix anything and know everything. You make me want to be better than what I am. I believe in myself because you believe in me and I never want to let you down." He shifted his bright green eyes to meet Gibbs' blue. "You might have turned out to be a vampire, but you're still the best man I've ever met."

Gibbs' blue eyes softened; he always suspected that was how Tony felt about him, but he found that hearing the words opened up a tender spot in his soul that had rarely been touched since Kelly died. The innocent, open expression on Tony's face reminded him of the way his daughter had often looked at him – like he was Superman, Santa Claus, and the best Dad in the world all rolled into one. It was a heady feeling to know that another person could look past all his faults and see only the best parts of his character, and he didn't underestimate just how rare it was to have this opportunity again. He would always miss Kelly, but at least now with Tony he could honor her love for him by giving all that he could to being a good Father again.

"You make me believe in myself, too, Tony. You make me see that I'm more than just a cold bastard and I need to care about people, even when I know it might hurt. Hell, there was no way I could not care about you." He placed a hand on the back of Tony's neck and squeezed. "I see myself reflected in your faith in me and I never want to let you down, either." He frowned uncomfortably. "Is that enough, or do I have to say any more?"

Tony laughed and let him off the hook. "That'll do." His heart felt so light it made everything seem absolutely perfect. All in all, it had been a fairly sentimental statement by Gibbs' standards, and he felt reassured that maybe there were legitimate reasons for Gibbs to want him as a Son. He supposed they were both somewhat dysfunctional in their own ways, and it was possible those faults made them well-suited for one another. Then again, Gibbs had made quite a commitment by turning him – forever was quite a bit longer than the majority of his other relationships had lasted. Now that the deed had actually been done, it wasn't like Gibbs could get rid of him; he'd always be his Son, regardless of what happened. Had the older vampire really considered what he was getting himself into? "Do you think you can put up with me for eternity?" Tony asked hesitantly. "A lot of people would consider it a challenge."

"Oh, I'll figure out a way to put up with you, Tony; I've already managed it for ten years. I think you're the one who needs to be worried about putting up with me."

Laughter drew their attention. Tony looked over his shoulder to see a small cottage with a thatched roof. A gorgeous woman with shining emerald eyes and long red hair watched a pigtailed little girl run and play.

"Is that…."

"Shannon and Kelly? Yeah. You want to meet them?"

"Are you serious? Of course I do!" Tony said, following him down the hill. "You know, Boss, I mentioned a movie a few weeks ago. Highlander? With Sean Connery and Michael O'Keefe? You ever seen it?" Gibbs rolled his eyes but didn't break his stride. "Of course you haven't seen it. But it's about immortals, and they sword fight against other immortals so they can be the last one alive. There can be only one, right? It sucks though because Sean Connery dies – his character kind of reminds me of you in the movie - I really don't want you to die like that so I was thinking you might show me some more fighting tips…"

Gibbs stopped and let DiNozzo catch up with him. Tony quit talking mid-stream, recognizing the expectant expression on the lead agent's face. "You're gonna head-slap me aren't you, Boss?"

The vampire nodded, and Tony could still feel the sting when his eyes jerked open and he was staring at the ceiling of Gibbs' spare bedroom.

NCISNCISNCIs

"How are you doing?" Tony followed the voice to find Gibbs sitting next to him, holding his hand and wearing the same brilliant smile he had seen in his dream. "For someone who doesn't pass out, you've been pretty far gone the last few minutes."

"Did you…." Tony cleared his dry throat, taking a sip of water when Gibbs pushed a glass at him. "Did you…..I thought I was…." He shook his head, sitting up. Julian was sitting in the chair in the corner, watching him with a cross between concern and bemusement. "What just happened?" A ray of sunlight sparkled to his right and caught his attention; motes of dust danced in the air like diamonds. He couldn't get his eyes to rest on one thing, since every few seconds something else distracted him with new-found fascination.

"Hey," Gibbs said resolutely, putting a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to focus him. "This won't last more than a few hours, but it's the first sign that you've turned. Your senses are going to be overloaded for awhile, so you need to take it easy until some of it wears off. It's kind of like being on drugs. Do you feel ok?"

Tony found himself staring at Gibbs' incredibly blue eyes. Nothing looked real right now, and he considered reaching out to touch the lead agent to reassure himself this wasn't all a dream. He doubted Gibbs would appreciate having his cheek stroked, so he kept his hands at his sides and attempted to concentrate.

"I feel….really good. It's hard to explain." He tried hard not to look completely out of it.

Gibbs grinned affectionately. "I remember what it's like." He turned toward Julian, leaving his hand on Tony's shoulder. "Thank you. If you hadn't come when you did, I'm not sure he would've made it."

Julian stood and crossed the room. "Nothing could have pleased me more than to help the two of you become Father and Son. The only thing I ask in return is that you and Anthony pay me a visit soon. I would like more time to get to know our young bellus, and I could help him learn how to control some of his unusual attributes. You do realize there is the potential he will gain unexpected abilities now – every bellus is different, and each develops his own unique qualities." The chic vampire patted Tony's hand. "I believe our Anthony could prove to be even more special than any of us realizes."

The investigator's eyes narrowed at the vague statement, but Gibbs decided not to pursue Julian's meaning – they had an eternity to figure all this out, and his immediate priority was helping Tony adjust to his altered status. "I'll call you and we'll work something out for this summer."

"Excellent. Goodbye Anthony, please let me know if there is anything you need in the future. I can see myself out, Agent Gibbs. I believe your Ms. Sciuto would like a few words with me." He straightened his glasses and walked to the door. "I'll let your friends know that all is well."

With Julian gone, Gibbs' attention shifted back to Tony. The newly born vampire still looked slightly dazed and unsteady.

"Boss? Can I get up – I really want to look outside."

The wistful sound in Tony's voice was contagious, and Gibbs couldn't help but agree.

His Son slid out of bed and moved toward the window – Gibbs hovered behind him carefully like he was watching a toddler take his first steps. There was a part of him that wanted to take Tony's arms and hold on, since the boy's balance wasn't entirely on track, yet another part warned that this was Tony's moment, and he needed to let him have it. His surge of over protectiveness didn't surprise him, but he hoped it eased up soon or it was going to drive both him and Tony crazy. He clenched his fists and silently watched. With a slight bit of teetering, DiNozzo eventually made his way across the room.

Tony pushed back the curtains and stared out. He'd always had excellent eyesight, but now he could see everything - there was a crispness and detail he'd never imagined. It was like going from regular television to high definition. Was this how Gibbs saw the world? It was so incredible he had to close his eyes for a few seconds to take it all in.

He opened the window and stuck his head out, taking a deep breath and encountering smells he'd never imagined. Car exhaust, a man walking his dog, sweat from a woman running down the street, it all mingled together in a cornucopia that had his head reeling. The odors weren't bad, but there were so many and they were all so distinct it was kind of sickening. He closed the window quickly, shutting out the aromas that left him with a slight feeling of nausea. The smells in the house were much better; laundry detergent, coffee - he could even pick out the sweet scent of bourbon.

Tony took a few steps toward Gibbs and felt a giddy lightness that ended in a wave of dizziness. Being out of bed might not have been the brightest idea, but he couldn't lay there when he felt like this - like he wanted to jump, run, dance, maybe even fly. He was so damn happy it was indescribable.

Gibbs grabbed his arm gently. "I think you need to rest some more."

Tony was about to protest when suddenly he could hear voices talking; they were muted but if he concentrated the words became clearer. Someone said his name. A door shut, then another, followed by the booming thunder of footsteps.

The door flew open and the team tumbled inside, Abby in the lead.

"Hey guys," he greeted, a goofy smile plastered on his face.

Abby crossed the floor and threw herself into Tony's arms – he actually managed to swing her in a happy circle before sitting her back on the floor. Soon there were more arms around them and it was a group embrace, with everyone laughing or crying or patting someone's back.

Mike Franks leaned against the doorjamb and watched it all with a sense of satisfaction. "You better let the kid go before you squeeze him to death."

As they stepped back, McGee gave a small shake of his head. "I don't know, DiNozzo, I might be able to start calling you probie, now."

"What do you mean?" Tony asked, confused.

Gibbs grinned boyishly. "You've turned, Tony, and your body's healed itself. It's left you looking a bit - refreshed."

Abby and Ziva giggled, and Palmer had a sappy smile on his face. Tony's eyebrows knitted together before he jogged to the bathroom, amazed to find a version of himself looking back from the mirror that he hadn't seen in about fifteen years. All the bruises were gone, even the scar on his cheek had disappeared, and along with the injuries a few decades worth of wrinkles had departed, too. He looked about twenty-five, which actually wasn't a bad thing, but it could definitely be a complication when he tried to go back to work.

Tony stepped back into the bedroom. "I look like a kid! I'm even younger than Palmer, and he's barely out of diapers!" Tony exclaimed, to the autopsy assistant's chagrin.

Gibbs snorted. "Don't worry, Tony. We'll show you how to control it and have you back to your middle aged self in no time. But for now I think since you're obviously feeling so much better, there's something else you need to do."

"What?"

Ziva threw a towel in his direction that he easily caught. "A shower Tony. You really stink."

Tony managed to look affronted before breaking into the patented thousand-watt Tony DiNozzo smile that was ageless.

"I'm still not feeling so good, Ziva. You want to give me a sponge bath? You could get all those spots that I can't reach…." He leered at her suggestively.

DiNozzo laughed as she launched into a lecture about how even though he was now a vampire he had managed to stay a pig, and he was pretty sure he saw Gibbs hiding a few chuckles himself.

It was good to know that everything was going to be alright after all.

NCISNCISNCIS

Tony sat quietly at his desk completing paperwork from the case they had wrapped up the night before. He glanced up as McGee and Ziva stepped off the elevator.

"Early again, Tony?" the junior agent commented. "What's life like now that you live on Gibbs Standard Time?"

Tony rubbed his jaw. "It's just great, Timmy. Just because I'm…." He didn't want to say a vampire because it was hard to tell who might be listening. "…different now, it doesn't mean I don't like to sleep. So yeah, getting here at the crack of dawn every morning has been just peachy."

Ziva chuckled. "I think Gibbs' schedule is making you more cranky than usual."

DiNozzo snorted. Gibbs had tried to warn him that things wouldn't be the same after he was turned, but he hadn't really caught on to what the older vampire meant.

For one, he'd insisted that Tony move into his house. There was still the issue that Tony needed to drink at least once a day, sometimes more if he over-exerted himself, and Gibbs thought that having Tony in his own apartment was simply impractical. This way, Tony stumbled out of bed every morning and into the kitchen, drinking his early morning Gibbs-shake while he was half-asleep and not totally aware of what he was doing. Which Tony had to admit, wasn't a bad idea.

It also allowed Gibbs to relax a little about some crazy vampire trying to grab him. Gabriel's little party had let the word spread that he was a bellus, and even though he had been turned there were some nut jobs out there who didn't care and wanted to drink from him anyway. Two vampires had already shown up and Gibbs had been forced to kick their asses and send them on their way. He then had extended the protection on his house so that any uninvited vampires who sat foot on the sidewalk ended up in a seizure induced ball. He couldn't exactly provide that kind of security with Tony in his apartment.

Which directly related to the second issue; all the new rules Tony was given to abide by. Gibbs took the whole Father role way too seriously, in Tony's opinion, since he hadn't led such a structured life since he was in military school. Even then, he'd been able to sneak out at night.

Sneaking around, he had discovered when Gibbs found him in a club and dragged him back home, didn't work too well when your "Dad" was a vampire with super senses and a direct connection into your head. It was like having a permanent tracking device built into him.

He had to let Gibbs know where he was at all times, check in every two hours when he was out, and was never to go anywhere alone after 11:00 pm. Any new girls he dated had to be background checked and approved by Gibbs, and definitely, under no circumstances, were there to be any one-night stands. He'd even had to endure a lecture on safe-sex given by the silver-haired fox, since if Tony slipped up and managed to get a girl pregnant it would be infinitely more complicated by him being a vampire who was going to, barring any unforeseen complications, live forever. It wasn't that Gibbs didn't want him to have any relationships, he just wanted them to be more thoughtful and for Tony to fully transition into a vampire before he considered anything serious.

It made sense, Tony had to admit, but he didn't have to like it.

The restrictions were…..restrictive, to say the least. In a moment of rare guilt, Gibbs had assured Tony that once he developed his full vampire abilities, in oh, five years or so, he'd back off some. Until then, Tony was his to care for and nurture, so he was going to be somewhat controlling. Tony tried to understand and not let the total lack of independence and privacy bother him, but he was a forty year old man, not a pre-adolescent eleven year old. That was his opinion at least, even though Ziva might not agree.

Tony rubbed his head, trying to will away the headache that was blooming. It had been a rough week; the case they had worked involved a young Marine who was kidnapped, raped and murdered. They had found the killer, yet that didn't change the fact her child was going to grow up without a mother. The long days had bled into long nights, during which Gibbs always disappeared for several hours, and it never failed to make Tony feel bad knowing what he was doing for him. Gibbs, being Gibbs, never complained, merely made sure that when Tony started to run down he would force him off to a quiet spot and make him drink.

The rape had been hard to deal with, and although it was completely dissimilar to Tony's own experience, opened up memories he was trying to forget. He couldn't see a counselor about what Gabriel had done, considering the whole vampire angle, and he hated to admit to anyone else that he continued to have nightmares sometimes. Gibbs was there for that problem, too, always appearing when he woke up in the grip of a cold sweat and his throat raw from screaming. Somehow, Gibbs knew when his mind had him stuck in that castle, and would be there talk him back to reality. He supposed on the spot crisis intervention was another advantage to living at Gibbs' house that he hadn't considered before.

Tony's fingers found their way over to absently pick up the wooden boat that had taken its place on his desk next to the Mighty Mouse stapler and the Ohio State coffee mug.

The rules were different now, but he didn't mind too much.

Vance walked through the bullpen, placing a file on Gibbs' desk and coming to stand in front of Tony. "Something I can do for you, Director?"

Instead of answering immediately, Vance studied him, his toothpick shifting from one side of his mouth to the other. "You been on a diet?" the Director asked.

Tony leaned back in his chair; the rumor mill was spreading that he'd had plastic surgery while he was on medical leave since it was the best explanation anyone could come up with for his more youthful appearance. Tony had done everything Gibbs said, but couldn't quite nail the forty-something look anymore. He'd landed somewhere around thirtyish. He smiled at Vance.

"It's a macrobiotic thing; supposed to take years off your appearance. You should try it. I'll get you the website if you want." He clicked his mouse to start surfing the web.

"Not right now, DiNozzo." Vance didn't move. "Good work on this case; the victim's family said you were very compassionate with them. They made a special call to let me know."

Tony stared at his keyboard. He didn't want to get into a long conversation with Leon about why he had felt such a strong connection to the murdered woman. He was aware that both Ziva and McGee were listening. "Thanks, but I was just doing my job."

Vance tilted his head and stared a while longer. "Well, keep it up," he finally said, before walking away.

Tony had no idea what that had been about. A few minutes later he noticed a familiar smell.

"I know you're back there, Boss," he said, not glancing behind him.

Gibbs hands dangled over the cubicle wall, and he smiled faintly. "Was your spidey-sense tingling?"

"Something like that," Tony agreed. "Did we catch a case?"

"Nope." Gibbs observed him with that all-seeing gaze before moving to his desk, and continued to monitor him intently for the next few hours. Tony tried not to rub his neck, or his eyes, or wince when his head hurt worse; he was only prolonging the inevitable, but it didn't make him feel any less guilty about drinking again today. He wanted to keep Gibbs from having to hunt tonight if he could; unless those blue eyes found a distraction, that wasn't likely.

"DiNozzo!" The barked order was no less terse than it had ever been. Gibbs was already walking toward the elevator. "With me!"

When the lead agent pushed the emergency stop, Tony started talking. "Listen, Boss, I'm fine. It's just a little headache, nothing to worry about and I don't need to drink anything right now, I'll be ok until morning. So let's just get back to work and…."

"And I won't have to hunt tonight."

Tony sulked. "I hate it when you do that."

Gibbs took off his jacket, unbuttoned his shirt sleeve and rolled it to the elbow. "Drink, Tony. Don't argue with me."

DiNozzo sighed. Having Gibbs for a boss was one thing, having him for your Father was something else entirely. "If I don't, what are you going to do? Send me to my room?"

Gibbs smacked his head lightly and waited. After a dramatic stare down that lasted all of thirty seconds, Tony gave up and did as told. His head was throbbing anyway.

When they stepped back off the elevator, Abby was sitting in Gibbs' chair, spinning in circles. The silver-haired vampire put out a hand and stopped her; she jumped up and grabbed his neck, planting a quick kiss on his forehead.

"Boss! I wanted to double check if we're still on for tomorrow. I can't believe you're taking us sailing! After all these years, I'm just so excited! We are still going, right?"

"Yes Abby, we're still going. Be at the dock at 0900 ready to sail."

She squealed in delight. "Aye, aye, captain. The only way this could be better is if it was your own boat, but that's ok, I'm sure the one you borrowed will be awesome. Are you excited Tony?"

"Very, Abby. A trip on the SS Minnow is definitely what I need. If we get trapped on a deserted island, will you be MaryAnn? She was always my favorite. Sweet but hot at the same time, so much like you."

"I am guessing this is one of your movie references?" Ziva asked with a frown.

McGee stood up and joined them. "Gilligan's Island. I'll have to agree with Tony, it was a television classic."

Ziva pursed her lips. "So if Abby is MaryAnn, who am I?"

Tony grinned. "You and McGee can be Mr. and Mrs. Howell."

McGee snorted. "I am so the professor, Tony."

"You, the professor? No way. Ducky is definitely the professor."

"And what? You're Gilligan? Of course you're Gilligan. Well, I'm not Mr. Howell," the younger man declared.

Gibbs smacked them both on the back of the head. Tony yelped and McGee whined.

"The skipper says get back to work."

Abby laughed, her rosy cheeks glowing with undisguised happiness at having her family back together. "See you guys tomorrow. I'll bring snacks, Tony you bring the beer."

As the agents took their seats, Tony glanced up to see Gibbs take a swig of cold coffee and bend his head over his computer to read a report. McGee started typing, and Ziva picked up the phone to make a call.

Tony had given up all claims to being human, and had accepted eternity as a vampire; he had actually become his own bête noire, and he wasn't sure what he thought about that. He still felt like a man, laughed and cried like a man, and cared like a man. There was a lot he didn't understand about his new nature, a lot he suspected Gibbs and Julian were keeping from him to make the transition easier. In the end the will to survive had won out, and the chance to live on as Gibbs' Son made the change more than worth it.

He looked over at Gibbs, whose blue eyes flicked up and caught his, a small knowing smile on his lips. His boss gave him a nod that he intuitively knew in Gibbs' speak meant, Stop daydreaming and finish your report. Being Gibbs' Son didn't get him any breaks at work. It did give him… a hell of a lot more than he'd ever thought possible.

With a poke at his little boat that set it to rocking and humming a tune that was guaranteed to have Ziva shooting spitwads at him in no time, he returned to typing.

And with absolutely no regrets, Tony's life as a bellus, a vampire, an NCIS agent, and Leroy Jethro Gibbs' Son, went on.

.