A/N: I know that this was going to be the concluding chapter. But something came up in the last chapter that just needed to be addressed.

Tony: " Why do I get the feeling that this is going to end too well for me?"

Kate: "Relax Tony… I've thrown up on Gibbs and Abs is so far out of it. What could possibly make you cringe?"

Tony: "I wish the Author would've stay with Two Peas In A Pod instead of getting sidetracked."

Abby: "Don't worry Tony. It can't be any worse than what he has already done to you."

Tony: "I wish I could believe that."

Boss to Agent, Man to Man, Father to Son

"Come on DiNozzo," Gibbs couldn't leave Tony sleeping like that. "I'll put you into my bed," he said to him.

"Leave a man behind Boss?" Tony mumbled. "Be out at first light," he was only just coherent. "I can make it," Tony used the wall for support but found himself feeling like he was falling forward as Gibbs grabbed hold of him.

"You'll find its' don't leave a man behind," Gibbs corrected. That's what Gibbs interpreted the mumblings as referring to.

Gibbs got Tony into the main bedroom and fished out some clothes that Tony had always kept there. "Abs and Kate," Tony said to enquire about their health. They seemed to have disappeared.

"Feet," Gibbs said pointing to his legs.

"Doesn't ring a bell," Tony thought for a moment as Gibbs removed the shoes. "Are they ok?"

"The shoes?" Gibbs asked. The question sounded absurd.

"Abs and Kate," Tony sat up as Gibbs gave him pajamas.

"They're sleeping," Gibbs paused for a moment. His face turned serious. "What time of year is it DiNozzo?" He asked. Of course he wouldn't dare press into his feelings when he's sober. Tony might just run but Gibbs couldn't miss this opportunity to delve into his behavior. Of course he's seen Tony drunk before and hungover but this time it seemed as Tony wasn't going to stop.

"March?" Tony asked with a puzzled expression.

"Why are you drinking so much in March?" Gibbs asked as he hoped for a straight answer.

"It's the day the world ended," Tony said solemnly as his eyes threatened to close which would send him into an oblivious sleep. "My world anyway," he shrugged.

"Stay with me DiNozzo," Gibbs told him. "Just a little longer," it was a very light order. "What happened?" Gibbs asked.

"My mother died of an overdose when I was ten years old. Father belittled her to everyone. She never measured up to his perfect standards and he continued to belittle her. Found her dead one morning after she had a swallowed a full bottle of sleeping pills," Tony muttered. The whole thing was still fresh in his mind… Even his drunken mind. Drinking never allowed him to forget. "Two years of being put down, ridiculed and hated… He then kicked my ass out of his life. Was he trying to get me to kill myself to?" Tony asked. "I never allow any man to develop a long term relationship with me," Tony laid back.

"You're going to run DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked. His heart sunk at this. That was a question that he didn't want to know the answer to but needed to.

"It's just a matter of time isn't it?" Tony answered. "Everyone screws you over in the end. You may not mean to but it'll happen," sleep claimed him.

"Ah hell, DiNozzo," Gibbs responded. "I'll never do that to you." He'd have to find a way to make sure Tony stayed with the team. There were so many issues that Tony needed to work through before he ran further away from the demons that were chasing him. "I won't hurt you son," Gibbs said.

Gibbs sipped his coffee as he sat in the dining room. Unfortunately all the good sleeping spots were taken by his team and he didn't feel like taking the boat again. Kate was sound asleep and Abby was to the last time he checked. For a long moment he wondered if he would've had to go through these moments with Kelly. Would she have been like Kate or Abby? Or God forbid be a female version of Tony? There was some movement from his bedroom and the door opened.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs said as he watched him gingerly come out of the room and looked around.

"Hey, boss," Tony said as he tried to steady himself. "I'm just not feeling too good," it almost sounded like a whimper.

Gibbs wasn't going to miss the warning signs. Gibbs rushed to the senior field agent's side and guided him to the correct way to the toilet. "Thanks," Tony replied as he struggled to maintain his balance to put one foot in front of the other even with Gibbs' assistance. "I really don't feel good," he said once again.

"I know, DiNozzo… Not in here," Gibbs straightened him up as it looked like he was going to throw up on the carpet. "Come on," he told Tony. "Gear up!"

"On it, Boss," Tony tried to act like he was at work. "Who am I kidding? Why couldn't I have known you when I was just a boy?" He asked. "When you're coming home dad, I don't know when… We'll get together then… The cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon, little boy blue and…" Tony managed to get his head over the bowl with Gibbs' added assistance.

"There ya go," Gibbs said. "Feel better?"

"Thanks," Tony pushed himself up from the bowl and flushed the toilet. "I got it from here. I'm sorry to be a nuisance. I'm really sorry about Abby and Kate it wasn't them. It was all me… All my doing," Tony tried to explain.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs supported him with a friendly hand. "Bed," he said.

"Go easy on them Boss," Tony said. "Hell, if it wasn't for me they wouldn't be in this mess… You know who I feel like?" He laughed as he thought about it. "I feel like Tupperware," he said.

"Tupperware?" Gibbs raised his eyebrow.

"Not Tupperware… Topper Harley. From Hot Shots. Doesn't matter what I do, I always seem to hurt someone," Tony sounded depressed.

"That's not true, DiNozzo. You haven't hurt Abs or me," Tony fell onto the bed.

"It's just a matter of time," Tony replied quickly. "Just give me time," he sounded really certain that it would be only a matter of time before he screwed up another relationship.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs said quietly. "I'm not letting you go without a fight. I'm not losing another child," he said. It was unclear whether or not Tony heard the last part or if it even registered.

"I love you Boss. Do you understand that?" Tony said before sleep claimed him once again.

A/N 2: Ok, for sure, the next chapter is going to be the final one.