Thankyou for all the reviews, and well done on picking up my bizarre imagery ^^ Here's me once again stealing people's ideas ^^ Thanks amber-chick, I never would have thought of this lol :) Why do you all have such better ideas than me? :P
Gibbs had just made his first coffee of the day. It was about half seven in the morning, and Tony had woken up nearly an hour ago. So much for his 'routine'. Maybe now he was actually getting the chance to be a proper kid, he was developing the normal sleeping pattern. Which involved waking adults up when they desperately needed sleep.
So Tony was now sat, dressed in his preferred red dungarees and a clean tee-shirt, in the living room, colouring in a brand new colouring book Gibbs had given him this morning, as Abby had come round that night, seeing that Gibbs was ok and telling him that, apparantly, 'Tony needs to be spoilt rotten'. His was sucking on the a red dummy in concentration, trying hard not to go over the lines, although he ended up always doing so, the infant side getting too much.
Gibbs smiled fondly from his position leaning against the door frame, sipping from his cup. He closed his eyes briefly as he heard a soft knock at the door. Praying to God he wasn't being called in for another case, and this was just yet one more present for the kid, he walked over, giving Tony a small smile to show him it was ok.
Opening the door, Gibbs' eyes went wide with shock, stuttering out,
"D-dad?!"
--
Jackson Gibbs was stood in front of the Special Agent, furrowing his eyebrows at the less than warm welcome. Fine, they hadn't really kept in touch, but they'd had an ok relationship, and Jack thought that his son might be quite pleased to see him, as he'd traveled quite a long way, for nothing more than a catch-up,
"Something wrong, Jethro?" He asked in a pleasant voice, gauging his son's reaction. Gibbs breathed out slightly, and said, after quickly running his hands through his hair,
"No, nothing at all, I just... wasn't expecting you. Why are you down here so early on a morning?" He hoped he asked that casually, but Jackson's eyes narrowed and he asked,
"Are you sure there's nothing wrong?" Gibbs nodded, hoping he looked sure of himself, and stood back, holding the door open for his Dad to come in. The man hesitated for a moment before stepping in, forgetting the awkwardness that had passed. After all, it was still quite early. However, his son had always been an early riser, and he thought he'd have been building that damned boat right now.
"You want coffee?" Gibbs asked, trying to lure his Dad to the kitchen. However, the man just answered,
"Yeah, black. Thanks." And wandered into the front room, going to sit down. Gibbs groaned as he heard his Dad stop suddenly in the doorway. He didn't say anything, just merely stared curiously at the baby that was sat colouring in on his son's floor. The baby looked so at home as well, so it couldn't be being baby-sat, could it?
"Jethro?" He called over his shoulder, causing the baby to finally look up, having been immersed in his drawing. He froze as he saw a man that had an odd look on his face that really reminded him of someone, though he couldn't remember who. His eyes widened and he didn't do anything until Gibbs came into the room, and said,
"Dad, this is...Abby's nephew. You remember Abby?" The man nodded and replied,
"But why is he staying with you?"
"The lab's backed up, so I told her I'd look after him for today." Jackson nodded, his eyes narrowing suspiciously, and that's when it clicked in Tony's head. Of course it was Gibbs' dad. They looked quite similar, stood next to each other you could tell they were father and son, especially when they had the same expression. Eventually, Jackson spoke,
"So what's his name?" Gibbs ran through random names in his head, before deciding he couldn't be bothered, and he knew either him or Tony would forget and slip-up, so he just answered,
"Tony." Jackson nodded and went to sit down in an armchair, leaving Gibbs to sink into the couch. The older man chuckled,
"He kept you up?" Gibbs ran a hand over his face and replied,
"He's teething, though not as bad as he was a couple of days ago." Jackson nodded again and lapsed into a thoughtful silence, as Tony tried to get back to his colouring in, though it was extraordinarily hard going with two people watching him. Well, Gibbs he didn't mind, but Gibbs' dad. It was weird, to say the least.
"What about your boy at work? Isn't his name Tony? Your senior... agent?"
"Senior Field Agent," Gibbs corrected, before nodding, "Yeah, DiNozzo was quite proud when he heard Abby's nephew had the same name. Sulked for a while when he found out Abby had called the kid it for a joke - but then it stuck and the parent's named him Tony." Gibbs was amazed at the lie that just rolled off his tongue, while Tony glanced up at Gibbs. When had Gibbs ever spoken to his Dad? And when he had, why was it about him? Though Jackson hadn't remembered his name very well, maybe he'd just been mentioned in passing...
"So? How's work?"
"Wouldn't know," Gibbs owned up, "Haven't been there in quite a while, went to the hospital yesterday, and haven't really gone in much since..." He paused, almost head-slapping himself as he realised how easily he almost slipped up. However, he left the sentence hanging, running it back through his head and realising it sounded fine on its' own.
Tony sighed. He was getting so bored. Jackson kept looking at him, and he was put off so much he couldn't concentrate on the colouring. And for some reason he felt the need to be inconspicuous, so he didn't really want to get up and walk somewhere to do something else. However, the conversation Gibbs and his Dad were having was boring and grown-up, so Tony hadn't really wanted to pay any atten... Woah, had he just though that? Had he really thought that Gibbs' conversation was too grown up for him to listen to?
Shaking his head, he realised he needed to get out of the room. Just for a small toddle round the house, that's all. So, he managed to stand up and gave Gibbs a small glance before turning and walking out. However, he didn't count on a hand being snaked across his waist,
"Jethro, come on, you should be used to this! How old is this kid?"
"18 months..."
"You can't let him just toddle off on his own! He could do anything!" Gibbs attempted to stick up for himself, and Tony,
"He's not stupid Dad, he won't try and stick his finger in a socket or anything, will you?" He asked sharply, giving Tony a small glare, to which the kid replied, wihtout thinking,
"No Boss." Both man and baby froze, and Jackson turned to stare at his son,
"How much have you indoctrinated this kid Jethro? Actually getting him to call you Boss, and you've been looking after him for, what - a day?" Gibbs didn't really know what to say and instead went to take Tony off his Dad,
"I'll keep him here then. So go on, what happened with...?" Again, he was back on the grown-up talk! Tony sat there moodily on Gibbs' lap as his Boss and Gibbs Sr. talked. He knew Jackson kept shooting him odd glances now again, so Tony thought it best to just not do anything. Instead, he sucked at the red dummy that was still in his mouth, and leaning against Gibbs, who had started to run his fingers through the baby's hair, and to stroke his head,
"You know," Jackson said, thoughtfully, "I don't think I've ever seen an 18 month old sit still for so long." Taking that as his cue, Tony tugged at Gibbs' sleeve and muttered,
"Hungry." He hadn't meant to sound like a brat or anything, really. But he guessed if Gibbs' Sr. did actually hear him, then it wouldn't matter. His Boss nodded and stood up, saying,
"You want anything while I'm there Dad?" Jackson shook his head, still narrowing his eyes at Tony as he was taken out, who gulped nervously. He relayed his fears to Gibbs when they were safely in the kitchen and out of Jackson's hearing range,
"Gibbs, I'm serious, I think he's guessed I'm not a normal baby." Gibbs shrugged as he passed Tony a bowl full of small pieces of fruit,
"Then just act more like a baby." Tony scowled at him, popping a small peice of apple into his mouth,
"I can't really turn it on and off Gibbs, I'm not a machine." His boss smirked and said,
"I can."
"I know. Don't remind me," A thought hit him, just then, so into it that he didn't spot Gibbs' warning signs or hear the creaking in the hall as Jackson came towards the room, "How about you just put me into 'Tony Junior' mode? Then I'll just act... normally, I suppose. Then when he's gone, I can be my version of normal?" Gibbs almost head slapped him as Jackson entered the room fully and asked,
"What the hell is going on Jethro?" Tony cowered slightly and put the piece of banana he was about to eat back in the bowl and held his arms out, hoping Gibbs would take him out of the high chair. Gibbs did so, and when Tony was safely nestled in his arms he said,
"Something odd happened when we went to apprehend a suspect Dad. DiNozzo ran after him and when he got him pinned the guy sort of...reversed it and had him pinned."
"Jesus," Gibbs Sr. said, forgetting about the situation at hand for a second, "Is he ok? I know how much you care about him." A very faint blush rose to Gibbs' face but he answered,
"The guy made him swallow a tablet... it kind of... did something to him." Jackson frowned, before glancing down at Tony, who was really trying not to make eye contact,
"You mean? This kid, this - this is DiNozzo?" Gibbs nodded solemnly, as did Tony, who finally picked up the courage to talk to the man,
"Hiya," He flapped a hand as a poor wave and prodded Gibbs' chest slightly, "I want to go back to the living room..." Gibbs nodded and bounced him slightly, saying to his Dad,
"We'll talk more in the living room, poor kid's bored stiff in here." His dad let him pass, an awestruck look on his face.
--
Tony tuned out Gibbs and his father's conversation. He couldn't be bothered listening to Gibbs explain it, he'd lived through it. Instead, he found a blank page in the colouring and grinned. He could mess with Gibbs Sr.'s mind a bit. He got to work, sucking the dummy Gibbs had given him as they'd gotten back in the room as he concentrated again, choosing different crayons as he drew a picture.
Eventually he'd finished it, and toddled over to where the two men were talking again, pulling at Jackson's trouser leg and waited 'till the man was looking down at him and showed him the picture he'd drawn, albeit a bit shyly,
"Look!" Jackson gave a glance at Gibbs, who nodded and he reached down and picked up the picture. It showed three people stood at a plain background. The first was obviously Gibbs, and the second Jackson, taller and with a few more wrinkles than Gibbs (Which the ex-marine smiled at) but was drawn exactly the same. Then there was a smaller person, wearing what he was now, grinning up at them both, holding Gibbs' hand.
"Does he usually do this?" Jack asked his son, scared something about him turning pu had done something to the kid. Gibbs shook his head and said,
"No, he sometimes goes into what everyone calls 'Tony Junior', which is where the infant side overrules him completely." Jackson appeared much more relaxed now, but Gibbs could immediately tell that Tony was just Tony, so why was he drawing pictures and showing them to Jackson in such a childish, proud manner?
Was he trying to get Jackson to like him?
"Hey kiddo, it's getting quite late, what say it's bedtime?" Tony looked appalled and shook his head firmly, his mouth set determined to win this fight. Gibbs wasn't impressed and crossed his arms, standing up,
"Well, it's either that or I get Dad to put you to bed. Which one?" Tony, for some reason, although he felt tired, and wouldn't usually go against Gibbs except if he was messing with him, acted out,
"Neither!" He stamped his foot to add further to his point, and was given a short swat in the backside. Tony looked up at Jackson with shocked tears filming up in his eyes. He'd gasped and looked to Gibbs for support, but he didn't say or do anything, although Tony was sure there was a bit of distress in his eyes,
"You know, when I was small, if I ever went against my father, I'd get much worse than that. So would Jethro. So, if you argue again, I don't care how old you used to be, I'll spank you right here and right now. I won't even leave you the comfort of a diaper." Tony looked horrified and didn't say anything. Still, it didn't stop him from giving a short whine and saying to Gibbs,
"I want you to put me to bed." Gibbs raised an eyebrow and said,
"I think Dad should do it." Tony glared at him but still didn't say anything, apart from,
"But he's mean!" Gibbs burst out laughing, and even Jackson gave a small chuckle. Without a word, he picked Tony up and took him upstairs, guessing he was staying in the room that had once been Kelly's. He opened the door and saw that Jethro really did enjoy being a parent again. Everything was out, there was a mobile above the crib and on the walls were some of Tony's childish drawings.
He raised an eyebrow at Tony, who tried to frown, but was too tired, and this man, the more you looked at him, the more he looked like Gibbs. Instead, he settle for an exhausted grimace, and mumbled,
"Do you think Gibbs likes having me here?" Jackson quirked an eyebrow,
"What makes you ask that?" Tony mumbled something that didn't make any sense and Jackson rolled his eyes, saying,
"I'll ask him for you, ok? Go to sleep now."
"'M'kay grandpa..." Tony mumble, and fell asleep straight away, causing some unwanted tears to well up in Jackson's eyes. How long had it been since he'd been called Grandpa? Too long.
He slowly made his way down the stairs, pausing as he got to the bottom, chuckling as he saw Jethro once again tidying the mess the kid had left, smiling as he did it.
"Want some help?" Gibbs looked up and grinned,
"No I got it." Jackson nodded and said,
"Listen, I should really be getting back, so, I'm going to skedaddle." Gibbs nodded and said,
"It was good to see you Dad." Jackson beamed at him and said,
"You too Jethro, tell Tony I said the answer to his question is definitely 'Yes'. He'll get it." Gibbs nodded bemusedly before Jackson turned back from where he was on the porch,
"You know I can see in your eyes how much you care about the kid Jethro. And I know how much you love having a baby in the house again. Just, you need to tell him it, once in a while."
Gibbs furrowed his eyebrows once his Dad was gone. He did tell Tony he liked having him here didn't he? He must have done. And by now the kid must at least know that he cared, right?
That's me done for the day, though I think this chapter kinda deteriorated over time. By the way, please keep in mind that I've never seen the episode with his dad in (Blushes). I've only seen up to season 4, so bare that in mind if he 'aint in character :) Review? Oh, and thanks to all those who said they'd draw pics, I'm sure they'll all be absolutely amazing and adorable ^^ x