A/N: Thanks again to all those who read, alert, favorite and review. I'm glad you guys are enjoying this story. Next chapter might take a bit longer to get up, so I'm shooting for sometime early next week though I start school on the 22nd, so we shall see. As always, reviews are very much appreciated. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter Twenty Seven

We had Christmas.

Boss and me and Elijah and even Ducky got to see the lights and tree and the presents. Probie, Abby, and were there but only there for a little bit cause Boss said they had to go with their own families. Ziva was there too but she doesn't like Christmas, she likes something else that she celebrates and she came before Christmas when I was home.

My head still hurts from the surgery but it feels better now which is good cause I think it's finally fixed.

Boss got to stay with me in the house all the time like before but then he had to start going back to work like he did before everything happened with my surgery to fix my head even though Boss said it was never broken. I think it was broken, broken really bad and I don't think, no matter what Boss says, that it will ever be fixed. But Boss had to go back to work like he was going to work before he went missing and I had to help find him.

Boss doesn't have a hurt anymore. At least, I don't think he does. Sometimes he makes a face like he does but I ask him if his arm hurts and if he needs PT like I do but he just shakes his head and doesn't say anything about it.

Elijah had a big family. We went for some of the time to his house and he had lots and lots of brothers and all of them had kids and wives. None of them were as big as Elijah though which was good cause if they were all big like him I don't think me and Boss would have been able to fit at the table where we ate lots of food. Lots.

Elijah's mom was really nice when we got there. She smiled at me and didn't say anything when I said a lot of bad words cause I was really nervous and when I get really nervous, I say lots of bad words. Not bad words like Boss does when he gets mad and cusses, but bad words like the wrong kind of words, words that don't make sense. But Boss might have been nervous too cause he didn't say any words at first but sometimes I think that's just how Boss is even though he always likes talking to me.

We stayed there and ate lots of really really good food and Elijah's mom had presents under the tree already and it was really fun, even though it was really noisy, cause the kids got toys and one of the kids, Elijah's nephew, got a baseball and I got to play catch with him, even though Baron had to help.

But I got some stuff too, lots and lots of really warm clothes that everyone got me which was nice cause since its cold outside, I like the warm clothes. I got movies too, all sorts of movies, and Boss told me we can put them with my other movies on the new shelves that he made me for my Christmas present. The shelves are really nice and Boss made them all by himself.

It was a really nice day and I had lots of fun but I wanted to see my dad for Christmas but he didn't come. He promised he would come when he could, and I hope Boss doesn't get mad that I'm not gonna tell him that dad's coming.

I don't know why it's a secret, but it is and I have to keep it a surprise.

And a secret.

I just hope he doesn't come before the party that me and Elijah are getting ready. Cause I like parties.

And I know Probie will bring pizza to the party.

"Pizza. Baron, you can't have any," Tony looked down at his German Shepherd who was currently sitting at his master's feet. Baron had his blue service dog vest on and Tony bent down slightly and fixed the vest so it laid flat on Baron's back. Tony didn't like it when his clothes got all wrinkly and since Baron's vest was like his clothes, he didn't want it to be wrinkly either.

"Going to the store," Tony said as he finished his snack. Elijah had cut him an apple to eat and since an apple was best when you ate it with something else, Tony had helped Elijah melt some caramel to dip his apple in, "Like a Milky Way," Tony ate another piece and tried not to make a mess. He was sitting at the kitchen table because he didn't want to make a mess but he heard Elijah in the front room.

"Go," Tony scratched his head, careful of the stitches. Tony wanted his helmet. His blue helmet. But Boss and Elijah said he didn't need it anymore.

"Blue go," Tony mumbled before petting Baron with his bad hand and using his good hand to put the last piece of apple in his mouth.

"Mess. Elijah, are we going now?" Tony asked when the large man walked into the kitchen.

Elijah nodded and helped Tony pick up the plate and cup he used for his snack.

"Yes, but first we need to bundle up. It's blowing like a blizzard out there," Elijah watched as Tony stretched and looked out the kitchen window, "So since we don't want you to get sick, we're gonna need lots of layers."

"White. That's lots of snow," Tony tried to look out the window to see. Tony wasn't sure how he felt about snow. It looked nice but it wasn't very nice when he had to walk on it.

"Yep, so let's go grab your coat and gloves," Elijah walked towards the front room, "And your beanie too."

"White. Blue. And my helmet too?" Tony scratched his head again.

"Don't scratch your stitches Tony," Elijah gently stopped Tony's movements, grabbing Tony's hand and squeezing it encouragingly, "I know they itch but remember, we're going tomorrow to see if they can come out okay?"

"Blue. I don't remember," Tony huffed in frustration, "We're going to the store now right?"

"Yeah Tony," Elijah smiled and helped Tony put on his sweater and his jacket. He added a large beanie that wouldn't pull on the stitches and that would cover his ears.

"You warm?" Elijah asked after helping Tony with his gloves. Tony got cold quickly although as he gained more fat and muscle he was able to withstand temperatures better.

"Itch. Yes," Tony smiled at Elijah and looked down at Baron, "Coat. Baron doesn't need one right? He has fur."

"He should be okay," Elijah said as he put on his own coat and gloves, "He'll be inside with us too so he won't be too cold."

"Cold. Good," Tony yawned, "Let's go. I'm hungry."

"But you just had a snack!" Elijah said, laughing at Tony.

Tony frowned but then smiled when he remembered the right word he wanted to say, "Tired. I meant tired."

"Ah," Elijah nodded before clipping Baron's leash onto his no pull collar. He gave the leash to Tony and held on to Tony's elbow as the man stepped out of the house and onto the driveway.

"Careful Tony, it's slippery," Elijah locked the door behind him and helped Tony towards the truck.

"White. Are you sure I don't need my blue on?" Tony asked one more time, glancing back at the house as he got into the truck.

"I'm positive Tony," Elijah helped Baron get in the backseat with Tony before buckling the dog in his own seat belt. He closed the door and hurried to get in the truck.

He would never be use to these harsh winters of the North. He couldn't wait for spring.

Tony held onto Baron's leash as Elijah maneuvered the truck into the shopping mall's parking lot.

Baron needed food cause he was running low and there was a party coming to Tony's house so he had to get ready for it. Elijah was gonna help.

Tony waited until the truck wasn't moving at all and Elijah had turned the key before he fumbled for the seat belt. He didn't want to take his seat belt off while the truck was still on because if he did, he wouldn't have it on if Elijah got in an accident even though Tony didn't think Elijah would because he was a really good driver.

Tony finally got his seat belt undone and waited until Elijah opened Baron's door to unclip Baron's seat belt because Tony couldn't undo the clip by himself.

Elijah unclipped Baron and waited for the dog to jump down from the truck before he walked around the truck to Tony's side and opened the door for him. Smiling at Tony who looked to be a bit unsure as he got out of the truck, Elijah rubbed Tony's bad arm.

"You okay?" Elijah asked. The wind had died down and now the snow was falling gracefully, slowly collecting on the recently plowed streets and parking lots.

"Blue. Broke. I don't have my blue on," Tony touched his head, "I forgot Elijah and I don't- I might break I think. Do you have my blue helmet with you?"

Elijah sighed. Ever since he had left the hospital, Tony had been asking about his helmet. Not that anyone could blame him, the man had gone close to half a year with having to wear the helmet everywhere he went. Now, over a year since he had had his accident, Tony was just getting to the point where he no longer needed the helmet to protect his fragile skull.

"You don't need it anymore Tony," Elijah said and once again stopped Tony from scratching the stitches, "Remember? They fixed the soft spot on you head," Elijah pointed to the stitched area, "So you don't have to wear it anymore."

Tony bit his lip and played with Baron's leash, "But…but what will keep my head safe?"

"I will," Elijah said and smiled when a hesitant smile appeared on Tony's face.

"You're big," Tony said shyly, as if he hadn't told Elijah that numerous times before, "Boss says you're really strong too."

"You bet Tony," Elijah closed the truck door and made sure to lock it before they made their way towards the first store in the shopping center. The place was buzzing with holiday cheer partly due to the fact that Christmas had just past and also because New Year's was just around the corner.

"First on the list," Elijah grabbed a cart and held onto Tony's elbow with his other hand, making sure his friend didn't slip on the wet ground, "Baron needs dog food, right Tony?"

Tony who was holding onto Baron's leash as if his life depended on it, shook his head, "Blue. There's lots of people Elijah."

"Lots of people are going to have parties," Elijah rubbed Tony's back good naturedly, "Now come on. You know all the best kinds of stuff for parties, huh Tones?"

"My name is Tony, Elijah," Tony reminded his aide with a smile and a quiet laugh, "Remember?"

"Just making sure you're keeping up with me Tony," Elijah set a pace that would match Tony's limping shuffle, "So, what kind of food do we get for the party?"

Tony smiled brightly, his back straightening as he regained some of his confidence. Seeing the man's expression, Elijah wondered why he even asked the question. He knew what Tony's answer was going to be.

"Pizza," Tony said before smiling. Pizza was his favorite food.

The party is not just a party. It's a celebration or something like that, at least that's what Abby called it, because it's not like any other parties. It's special because it only comes once a year and the party is as long as two years even though it only happens in two days but only for a couple of hours.

I'm pretty sure Abby was getting confused trying to explain it to me which was okay because I was already confused just listening to it and at least I wasn't the only one. I think I know what she's talking about though, cause the month is almost over and soon Elijah is going to erase the big calendar in the kitchen and change the name, only there isn't any month after December so everyone always starts at the beginning with January which is a okay thing to do I guess cause the months are like the days. When you get so high I guess people have a hard time remembering the numbers or something because they always start back at 1 which would be okay too if everyone didn't keep changing the number they decided to start over on.

But the year is something that keeps going on and on. It never starts over, which is kinda sad really cause once it's gone it never comes back. Not like 3 or 4 in a month which are always the easiest days to remember or like August, when it was really hot but it felt good cause I could take a deep breath and my lungs didn't hurt like it sometimes did when it was cold in November.

I don't remember last year's party, cause I was still in a coma and really sick.

No one celebrated that year, not Boss or Probie or Abby or Ziva or Ducky or Jimmy, which is kinda sad really, cause they won't be able to start it over cause years don't come around again like the days or the months and once they're gone, they stay gone.

I wonder if Kate celebrated, if it even mattered to her wherever she was and I hope she knew that I missed her.

And that she would always be the first name I ever wrote in my blue helmet. Even if I don't have to wear it anymore.

But the party is going to happen soon and Boss is home and Elijah is laughing at something Baron did cause Baron sometimes does things that are really funny for a dog to do and the day is almost over which would be sad if it wasn't gonna come back one day.

But the year is over almost sorta and it won't ever be back. And I don't even remember when it started which is sad too but I think Boss is calling me cause it's time to take my medicine.

Ziva and Probie and everyone else is coming over soon, except Abby cause she's already here.

I'm glad I remember this party.