Hey guys, shorter chapter tonight. Sorry about that. Try to make the next one longer. Awesome job to everyone who knew the song! We all officially know too much about NCIS. And I didn't actually know Michael Weatherly had a German Shepherd. I just always wanted one and Rick the cat won't let me have one (he's possessive) so I figured I'd live vicariously through Tony. What are the odds?
Oh to answer the question of age, this is set in the summer a few months before Tony's 14th birthday, so he's 13. I don't know when his actual birthday is, but that's when it was set the last story.
Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed and favorited and followed! I checked the site today and I couldn't believe all the readers and reviews! Thank you so much everyone! I'll try to make it live up to your expectations!
Hope you all enjoy! Tell me what you think!
~Renee

Gibbs listened at the shouting with mild curiosity from behind his coffee cup. Didn't sound like it was going to slow down anytime soon. He may need a refill.

He took another sip and stood, intent on the coffee pot and at his movement the new addition to the house's head popped up in curiosity. He glanced down at the dog laying next to Tony's leg and grinned. The dog hadn't moved more than a foot away from his son since he got home. He found himself growing more and more appreciative of the new pet and the possessiveness it felt towards his boy. He hated leaving Tony alone when school was out and he had to go to work and with the very large and obviously protective dog flanking his boy's every move...he was already relaxing.

"Ragazzo!"

He glanced back at the two hanging around his kitchen table and bit back a grin.

His son and Fornell had been fussing at each other in Italian for nearly twenty minutes and Tobias looked like he was about to have a fit. His hands were waving in the air as he paced back and forth in their kitchen while Tony leaned back in the his chair, his thumb running over the top of dozens of bills.

"Would you calm down Toby? Look, how about I give you some of your money back?"

Tobias dropped his head on the table and groaned.

"Keep the money. It's my dignity that I want."

Tony chuckled.

"Yeah, I don't think I can give you that. I can throw the next game if that'll make you feel better?"

Tobias glared at him.

"Oh shut up."

Gibbs looked up from behind his coffee cup as he sat back down.

"I recognized that one."

Tony smiled at him and started gathering the cards.

"I'd imagine so dad at the rate that's all he can think to respond with. Thought the FBI taught better comebacks than that?"

He stuck out his tongue at the older man who laughed.

"They're too busy teaching us how to handcuff smart alecks."

"Dad wouldn't let you do unless I actually committed a crime Toby."

"A crime huh?" Tobias pointed at the boy and glared at Gibbs. "Your son cheats."

"I do not!"

The two sunk back into Italian and Gibbs shook his head and leaned his chair back to watch the show. The dog looked up at him and whined and Gibbs bent down to pat his head.

"Tobias, I'd prefer it if you wouldn't completely corrupt my son."

Fornell rolled his eyes and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Oh please, your boy causes more trouble than I could ever hope to."

Gibbs smiled at his son and pulled him into a half hug who protested Toby's claim softly.

"I do not cause trouble I just...sometimes...I always get myself out of it!"

"And that's what matters kid. Well thanks for the night Gibbs, I better shove off, have an early morning tomorrow. See ya Tones."

Father and son said their goodbyes and watched as the agent left their home.

The two settled back into comfortable silence as they began to clean up the kitchen, Doc trailing on their heals.

"Dad...you really don't mind...about Doc, do you? I just couldn't leave him there you know?"

Gibbs glanced at his son to see the tell-tale signs of nervousness that popped up whenever he was feeling unsure of himself, his place in Gibbs' life, or worse, if something had jolted a sore spot from his world before he found Gibbs. He was worrying his bottom lip and his eyes didn't look up from the floor, eye contact not even being considered and his hands were fiddling with whatever they could find, which at the moment, was the edge of his worn Batman tee-shirt.

Gibbs put down the dishtowel and moved towards his son.

"Of course I don't mind. He's a good dog. Seems to be really attached to you too."

Tony grinned at the canine leaning against him, nearly knocking him over.

"Yeah..." he murmured.

Gibbs watched him quietly for a long second. There was something else going on here.

"Tony...did something happen today?"

He looked away, his fingers burying themselves in the dogs warm fur.

"It's nothing. Just...silly."

He frowned and came closer, placing his hand under his chin and lifting his face so they were looking at each other.

"Tony, it's not nothing. What happened?"

He shook his head.

"They were just...drunk. I could smell it and see it and..."

He shuddered slightly and unconsciously leaned into his dad, seeking the protection he knew was being offered unconditionally.

Gibbs clenched a fist but kept his voice calm.

"Did they-"

"No. One was… he was about to but one guy recognized me and stopped him." He looked up at his dad and gave a rueful smile. "He knew I was your son and dragged them all out of there before anything could happen that would require you and your legendary wrath."

Gibbs smiled back and ruffled his hair, knowing what Tony wasn't saying. His boy was strong and brave and God knew he was stubborn but somethings still bothered him.

The sound of a belt being pulled out of its loops.

The smell of alcohol.

People moving too fast or talking too loud.

Six years away from that man and his boy still had nightmares.

"Sorry dad. Don't mean to be-"

Gibbs cut him off and pulled him into his chest.

"Don't you say you're sorry. You didn't do anything wrong."

He could see it now, Tony stepping in, trying to save the dog, the boys loud, angry, drunk.

Tony wouldn't have ran. Even if he wanted to he wouldn't have. No matter what it would cost him. It was ingrained in him.

It was something that Gibbs couldn't get out, no matter how hard he tried.

There were so many things from Tony's younger years that he couldn't change that still affected him now.

His reserved habits when eating, the quietness-except when arguing with Tobias he was never loud, never running-even when it would save him a lot of pain and trouble and if you didn't count the endless pets he brought home he never did anything without asking permission first.

He knew Gibbs loved him and would never hurt him, but after eight years of living with violent tyrant, he wasn't likely to change the things that had kept him safe before. He did them without thinking and Gibbs didn't hold them against him, just patiently waited for him to relax. Hell took him over two years to convince him to eat second helpings on a regular basis.

Tony sighed and rested his head on his dad's shoulder murmuring into the fabric.

"I wasn't scared. I just...when I realized they were drunk I was really stupid. I antagonized them. Not a lot, but just enough to make them mad. I shouldn't have but I wanted to point out that it was early and they were young and if that one guy, Kevin I think, wouldn't have spoken up we would have gotten into a fight."

Gibbs stared down at him in shock while Tony continued.

"I don't know what I would have done if they would have tried to fight me." he looked up at his dad and wrinkled his eyes. "I don't fight. I don't think I ever could. Even when I grow up...I just...I'm not a fighter." His voice trailed off softly, as if worried about Gibbs opinion.

Gibbs ran his fingers through Tony's tangled hair and sighed.

"You don't ever have to fight if you don't want to. There's always another way. If push came to shove, you would have outsmarted them. Talked your way out. Thought of something."

Tony shook his head and pulled away.

"Either way, I'm glad it happened. Doc is fantastic. He would have been worth it."

He kneeled down and stroked the dogs back and was immediately rewarded with a wagging tail.

Gibbs smiled at the pair but his gut clenched.

Nothing's worth you getting hurt. Nothing.

He shook his head and focused back on cleaning the kitchen.

"So what's the plan for tomorrow? Anything exciting while I'm gone?"

Tony stood and shrugged.

"Don't know yet, might try to get some work done on the new guitar. Miguel and Mayer said they could video chat sometime this week, so I'm thinking of giving them a call. Got to get the time difference figured though."

He raised an eyebrow as he slid the last of the dished in the cabinet.

"Where are they now?"

Tony looked up at the ceiling and grinned.

"Uh...Spain. I think."

Gibbs shook his head and chuckled.

"Hope they're having a good time. I can do some work on that guitar tonight if you like. Looks easy enough to repair."

"Thanks! I was hoping you could. Oh I may try and get ahold of Spencer too, see what he's been up to."

Gibbs nodded and smiled. The day that Tony managed to find his old pen pal he thought the sky was falling. The phone had rang constantly and there were never stamps anymore.

"Sounds like a good kind of day."

Tony beamed up at him.

"I think so."

Xxx

Mike took another drink and stared out at the sea, his feet buried in the sand and the stars stretched out above the heavens.

"This...this is what life is. Right here."

He swung his arm out and gestured towards the sky.

"Gorgeous!" He yelled towards the ocean.

"Mike!"

He turned his head, squinting in the low light.

"What? Who is it?!"

"Hush! It's me."

"Me who!?"

"Mike, shut up, it's Leyla."

"Oh. Well why didn't you say that?"

"Oh my- I did Mike. Listen to me this is important."

He waved towards the view.

"Can't be more important than this honey."

She shook his arm.

"It's about Gibbs and Tony! I...I heard something down at the cantina. I think they're in trouble."

He stiffened and turned to look at her.

"What do you mean...trouble?"

Xxx

The man side stepped around the others in the bar, moving towards the booth in the back and the man sipping scotch.

"You're late."

He lowered his head in apology.

"I'm sorry."

The man waved his hand and gestured for him to sit.

"What did you find?"

"He'll be alone tomorrow."

The man smiled and took a drink, toasting the nervous looking informant.

"Perfect."