Disclaimer: Of course NCIS… characters… and such belong to the powers that be & not ME!!! Story created for purely entertainment value.

You know the drill… I don't own it, but the story is all mine. The character of Kathleen, the 2nd Mrs. Gibbs, and Tony's friends (Jake/Tommy) are complete fiction and have no connection to actual show history.

A/N: This is not the story I was planning, but the one that evolved. This is an alternative family dynamic w/ Kate/Tony/Tim in the sibling roles.

A/N2: Much appreciation for the reviews/alerts/favorite taggings.

Warning: THIS STORY will CONTAIN NON-SEXUAL SPANKING; ABORT THE MISSION… DO NOT READ… TURN BACK NOW IF THIS ISN'T YOUR THING.

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Tony was at an emotional crossroads. Was it more important to keep his cool in front of his boys, or did he grovel at his father's feet in a desperate attempt to quell the rising fury radiating off the man's body? He was worried about Tim, but self preservation was never far from Tony's mind. Turning around slowly the teen pushed back a tad to shake his self free from the Vulcan grip his dad had on him. It didn't even work a little bit. If he wasn't mistaken the grip may have gotten tighter. Damn!

"Dad… I was just… um, what are you doing here? I thought you said you were working at the office. Oh, God… you're not here for a case, are you? I mean there hasn't been a murder here or anything has there?" If his brother managed to get him self murdered their first time out… well, Tony would just kill him!

"Not yet there hasn't, but I'm seriously thinking that maybe I only need two kids. Now, where is your brother?"

"Okay, dad I know how this is going to sound, but you have to believe me…"

".HE?!" Leroy Jethro Gibbs didn't relish a scene, but he wasn't above causing one if the situation called for it.

"I lost him... I think I lost him. I mean he was supposed wait. I don't know what he was thinking about leaving that spot. Okay, so it took a little longer than five minutes, but he was supposed to stay put." Tony wasn't at all convinced his 'story' made an iota of sense.

Jake chimed in with support for his buddy. "Special Agent Gibbs… sir, we looked everywhere for Timmy. We didn't even care about missing the end of the movie. Tony's telling the truth he just isn't anywhere around here."

Tommy never said a word, but all three boys were visibly shaken. Gibbs thought of letting them off the hook then immediately decided against it as the realization of Jake's last comment settled in his mind. What the hell were they even doing at the movie theatre? There it was again… blood boiling anger.

"Let me tell you three exactly how this is going to play out. Gentlemen, you are going straight home to confess any and everything you've done wrong today. I'll be making calls home tonight to confirm that you've done so. Anthony David Gibbs you are going to collect you and your brother's bikes and put them in the back of the truck and wait for me."

There was a brief moment when Gibbs seriously couldn't believe that they were hesitant to move. The former Marine was accustomed to his orders being followed without reservation. They were actually usually obeyed with a great deal of alacrity.

"Move it now boys!" He barked in that DI voice that left no room for negotiation.

"My folks aren't home. Should I just put it in a note?" Tommy was an insolent little chap.

Getting directly in the boy's fourteen year old face Gibbs' action required no explanation. He would take this kid down to his knees if he said another word.

"Then Thomas how about I drop you to the Pentagon and you can explain to the Captain the events of the day without delay? That work better for you?"

"No sir it doesn't. I'll just tell him when he gets home." Tommy's father made Gibbs look like Mr. Rogers.

Backing off of the boy's personal space the stony glare was then directed to Jake. "Do you have a problem with my instructions son?"

"No sir. My mom should be home and I'll tell her everything. I'm sure she'll tell my dad the next time they speak." Jake's father was deployed for the next six months, but communicated as often as he could.

The constant 'sir' was starting to grate on Jethro, but he didn't balk too much because he knew he was dealing with children who had grown up entrenched in military life. They only knew one way of being.

"Dad, I only have my bike. We left Timmy's at Jake's. I thought it would be safer for him to ride with me across the streets."

If he didn't already know that his youngest was safe Gibbs really would have ripped his son's head off his shoulders. The boy couldn't really be this dense.

"So, your plan was to get him here safe and then LOSE HIM!"

"No, no…I'm sorry dad. It was just a… a mix up in directions. I…"

"I would stop talking and move." Gibbs growled out just above a whisper. It was the tone often leading to an eruption from 'Mt. Gibbs'.

Short of slithering out the doors on their collective bellies the boy's heads couldn't have been hanging any lower.

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Walking up to the concession stand the federal agent flashed his badge and was immediately taken to the door marked manager. When it opened he caught sight of the cutest picture ever. His little boy was munching away on a small popcorn watching, not a movie, but surveillance monitors of the ticket booth, front entrance, and concession stand. His mop hair cut hung over his eyes.

"You ready to go home or is that show too good?"

"Daddy, I saw you. You were with Tony, Jake and Tommy. I'm glad he's okay. I thought he was lost. Are you mad because I called? You looked really mad."

"Funny he thought the same thing about you." Going over to rub his back and kiss the top of his head Jethro's silence conveyed the message that he wasn't mad with the 8-year old. After a few words with the manager father and son made their way to the front entrance.

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Tony had worked himself into a steady pace. His father had an uncanny ability to know when things were off or wrong and he wasn't above showing up unexpectedly, but there was no way his being at the theatre was a coincidence. When he heard the swish of the doors opening the worried teen's head shot up. Surprise, relief, fury and nausea overtook him at once. He didn't have the chance brace himself for what came next as Tim barreled into his arms.

"Tony, you're safe. I was really scared and worried. But I was brave and went to get help just like mommy taught me."

"You left the door on your own? I thought you were kidnapped or murdered you little weasel. I told you to stay put!"

"I did." Now Tim was feeling a little indignant. "You said to wait five minutes, but four five minutes went by and you never came."

"The next time I tell you to stay put… you stay." The big internal sigh of relief now that his brother was in arms reach again kept being pushed down by the frustration he felt because the day was ending this way.

Tony was holding the boy at arms length and had raised his voice one time to many for his father's liking. He wanted the boys to have their brotherly exchange, but he needed to deal with them first.

"Get in the car boys. Tony strap your brother in and stop yelling at him. He did the right thing despite the piss poor example you've set today. Don't you worry though we're going to have a little refresher conversation about right and wrong soon enough."

Sliding into the front seat next to his father Tony shut the door with the least possible force and kept his eyes straight ahead. They went in the direction of home with the oldest of the Gibbs boys deeply concerned with how much of the conversation with his dad would involve talking and how much would result in a very unpleasant sitting situation.

Kate had texted a bunch of times while Tony had been pacing and waiting, but he never got the chance to tell her Tim was fine. Slipping his phone from his pocket he went at it with one hand hoping what he typed out was coherent (Tim ok. With dad. Txt l8tr.). There was no need to drag his sister down with him. If Gibbs knew Kate had knowledge of what was going on and neglected to call him that would mean her butt too.

When they pulled up to the driveway facing the dreaded red door Tony's heart plummeted into his stomach. Everything he had in his system threatening to make an appearance on his father's dashboard.

Slowly making his way out he forgot about helping his brother down. The height of the truck didn't match his brother's short legged abilities.

"Help him," Gibbs said looking over the cargo cab.

"Sorry."

"Stop apologizing… it's not helping or changing anything."

At the door both boys entered their minds focused in completely different places.

"Tim go upstairs and play in your room."

"I don't feel like playing." He wasn't being defiant just honest.

"Not a request son… read, take a nap, whatever. Get." Turning on his other son he simply pointed to the sofa and exited the room.

Tony could almost hear the music of impending doom playing in the background.