"I got everyone a little somethin'," Gibbs spoke up once the rest of the gifts had been opened. "But not all of them survived. Nothin' much, really. Just some things I came across that made me think of ya. None of these are wrapped; didn't have the time, really."

He handed a small box to Ziva. "This was actually Tony's idea," he smirked. "Which means I need to come up with another one, so you can steal it, DiNozzo," he grinned at him. Tony let out a small laugh, and Gibbs handed Abby her gift. "You both actually got the same thing, basically. Except Ziva, yours is for your star. Tony thought you needed a stronger chain. And Abs, I saw that charm and had to get it for you."

"Aw, Gibbs! It's so cute!" Abby said as she examined it.

"This is...very thoughtful," Ziva said as she played the chain through her fingers. She placed the box down on the floor in front of her and lifted her hair and undid the clasp on her necklace. Carefully, she slid the star from its old chain and fit it to the new one.

"Here, lemme give you a hand," Tony offered, taking the necklace carefully from her. She gave a warm smile and lifted her hair once more as Tony fit the chain around her neck and clasped it together. "There. Looks nice," he complimented.

"Thank you. Thank you both," she smiled at Gibbs.

Gibbs nodded and handed Ducky his gift, "Had to get this when I saw it."

"Oh my," Ducky examined the glasses-stand. "This is quite...intriguing."

"It's for your night-table, Duck. Holds your glasses."

"Ah! I see! How clever," he removed his glasses and tested the device. "Quite clever, indeed! Thank you, Jethro."

"And the other half of your gift can be you helpin' me through at least one of these bottles over the next year," he smirked.

"A task I'm certain we can handle," Ducky quipped. "And we'll be sure to ship yours to you as you need them, Jackson," he added.

"Or maybe I can leave a couple here for your New Year's," Jackson replied. "Seein' as I didn't get anything for anyone just yet."

"You don't need to do that, Dad," Gibbs told him.

"He's right, ya know," Tony chimed in. "You bein' here for the holiday is a great present to all of us."

Jackson just about blushed. "Kid, ya flatter an old man, ya know?"
"Part of my charm," he grinned widely. "But seriously, it's real great to have you."

"Yes," Ziva agreed.

"Absolutely," Tim added.

"Aw, guys!" Abby cooed, "This is like the sweetest Christmas ever!"

"Ah, not too sure of that, just yet," Gibbs said as he picked up the second bag. "Already told my dad what happened to his gift," he explained. "This bag, apparently, was wedged in the back corner of the trunk and got beat up a bit. McGee," he pulled out a battered rectangular box, "Yours is still intact, for the most part. But it'll need a new ink cart."

McGee furrowed his brow as he took the box from his boss and opened it. Inside, there was an exquisite silver pen with the engraving, 'Thom E. Gemcity' on the side. Though the black ink that had undoubtedly been inside of it, had spilled out all over the inside of the package. "Boss...this is...I don't know what to say," he met the man's eyes. "Thank you. It's beautiful."

"You're welcome, Tim. Sorry it didn't get to you in working condition, though."

"That's no fault of yours," he dismissed. "This is perfect."

"Glad ya like it," he reached back into the bag, then paused a minute. Looking into the bottom of the bag, he swallowed. It broke his heart that this had been ruined. Not that he couldn't go get another one... But he'd really wanted Tony to get this today.

The group must have sensed his hesitancy, and Ducky knew Gibbs enough to tell that this should be a private moment between he and Tony. "What's say the lot of us clean up breakfast and perhaps prepare the turkey for roasting," he suggested as he stood.

They all seemed to catch on immediately and stood as well; Ducky laying a hand on Tony's shoulder so that he would get the point that he needed to stay put. Gibbs gave Ducky a thankful nod as the group cleared out.

"Boss? You okay?" Tony asked as he moved to sit beside him on the couch.

Gibbs nodded, mutely. "Glass broke," he said a bit quietly. "And ink from McGee's pen got all over it..."

"I told you, I don't care about getting a present, Gibbs..." he insisted.

"But I wanted you to have it. So, I'm allowed to be disappointed," he raised a brow at him.

"Okay. Fair enough... So do I still get it?" he asked with a bit of excitement.

Gibbs reached into the bag and as he picked up the object, the glass could be heard falling into the bottom of the bag. "It was a box to keep your future medals," he told him as he handed the broken metal box to him. What once was glass window in the lid, was just an open square of space, and the rest of the lid was splashed with black ink, now long-dried. "Ya know, if you've got room in that bottom drawer at your desk," he smirked.

Tony ran his finger over the engraved plate under what used to be a window. Half of it was blackened with ink, but he could still make out what it said. 'To my son, with love. -L.J.G.'

Tony swallowed a lump that was quickly swelling in his throat.

"I know it's not much," Gibbs said, "But it's a lot harder to shop for you than I thought. I have no idea what movies you don't have, and-" He was cut off as Tony turned in his seat after setting the box down on the coffee table, and threw his arms around him in an embrace.

"It's the best, Gibbs," he said in nearly a whisper.

"But it's broken..."

"It's perfect," he insisted. "Thank you...so much. Means a lot to me."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes as he returned the tight hug. "It's the truth, Tony; how I feel."

Tony sniffled and pulled away, turning his face toward the box, intentionally keeping the impending tears from spotted. "I should put this upstairs...so the other kids don't get jealous," he let out a small laugh. Gibbs shook his head with a smile as the younger agent headed toward the stairs with his gift.

Before placing the box in his bag, Tony ran his thumb over the plate once more with a smile. He glanced up toward the ceiling in thought. "Miss ya, Dad," he said in barely a whisper. "But I've got someone watchin' my six...like he always has. I hope you can appreciate that, now..." He felt at peace as he glanced down at the box again, before sliding it into his bag. Then he headed back downstairs.

When he reached the floor level, everyone was in the kitchen, working amusingly at getting the turkey prepared to go in the oven. He stood in the doorway for a long moment, just watching them. The extent to which they'd each gone for him, was more touching than anything anyone had ever done for him in his entire life. And it filled him with such a sense of love, that he couldn't think of any one of them as anything less than his family...

"This is my family..." he thought, and smiled once more.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs shouted. "You gonna just stand there? Or are ya gonna help out here?"

"Sorry, Boss," he replied with a small laugh. "Didn't realize the six of you couldn't handle a bird." The head-slap wasn't that big of a surprise. And either was the sense of belonging that came with it. Much like the feeling he'd been implanted with by every person in that room...

~Fin~

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A/N: Woo! Done... Now on to the alternate ending... Beware, all ye who enter beyond this point. ;)