A/N: I hope everyone had a happy holiday season. The breaks been crazy for me and this year was one of the first that I can remember where I welcomed the New Year with a chest infection and the stomach flu. lol Anyway, life has been crazy, as it should be. There are many good reasons why this took so long, and if you've PM-ed me, you know some of them. But please remember, I am dedicated to finishing this story. I have never left an NCIS story unfinished and while it might take me longer than I'd like, this story will be completed. Soon. Next chapter is halfway done and I'm hoping -crosses fingers- to get two more chapters posted before I start spring semester. Anyway, thanks for being patient and once again, thank you my readers and reviewers, for choosing to enjoy my little story.

Chapter Thirty Three

It's getting warmer. Which is a really good thing.

I mean, the snow isn't really bad and the cold isn't awful or anything but it's been cold for a long time and now its gonna get warmer. Cause when it's cold all the time, I stay inside with Baron.

Even though Baron likes going outside a lot more now.

I go with him sometimes when he goes outside. I stay on the porch though and throw the ball for him and we play catch until my arm gets tired. After that, I brush Baron's coat for a long time, which is good cause it makes him feel nice and clean and it helps my bad hand get stronger cause when I first got Baron, I couldn't brush that good with my bad hand but now I can.

Baron's coat is really soft and I make sure to brush every part for him. I check his paws too, cause I don't want him to have a cut or something in them that could hurt him. Baron likes it though, cause he always falls asleep when I brush him. Sometimes, he even snores. I make sure to clean his face too, and his ears cause Boss said that if I didn't make sure his ears were clean, he could get an ear ache and I know I don't like an ear ache so I make sure to keep him clean so I know he's okay. But Baron's favorite favorite part is when I'm almost done cause that's when his coat's the softest and that's the best.

I have to brush Baron more now, but that's just because it's getting warmer and I don't want him to get his hair everywhere. That and because me and Baron go outside with my dad more than my other house. That and at this house, Baron can get alot more dirty cause the plants are different and if there's mud where the snows going away, Baron might get in that.

Its hard though, to be here sometimes. I mean, I love my Dad and Sal is really nice and I like that my Dad is here but now Boss isn't here. And I want to ask Dad about Boss and Elijah and everyone else but when I try to ask, Dad always look sad or something.

But I miss them. But Dad told me that he has a surprise for me today, at least a different kind of surprise than the other surprise, which isn't gonna be for another two weeks which is marked on the calendar. But my dad's surprise is happening sooner, which is nice because I don't like having to wait long since it's happening today.

Cause a surprise is always nice to have.

"Jack!" Tony yelled, smiling as he stood up from the chair he was sitting in on the porch. It wasn't really cold outside and while he and Baron had been playing fetch earlier but Tony was just sitting down, watching the horses in the field. But when a car had pulled up, Tony had waited to see who Sal was driving.

And now he knew.

"Sit. Jack, you're here!" Tony took a few steps forward as Jackson climbed the four stairs up the wooden porch.

"How're you doing Tony?" Jack smiled as he pulled Tony in for a gentle hug, "I missed you kiddo."

"House. Blue. Jack, this is my dad's house. He says it's my house too. It's big, isn't it?" Tony held onto Jack a bit longer than usually, having missed his Boss' dad.

"It's a very nice house Tony," Jack stepped back and fixed the blue beanie on Tony's head. It had been a month since the trial and while it was still brisk outside, the temperatures were starting to rise as they neared April.

"It's big," Tony said but shrugged, his bad hand tucked up against his chest, "Is…um…is anyone else coming?"

Jack smiled and turned, looking back at the car. DiNozzo Senior's driver had picked them both up when they had been on their way out to eat lunch. Jackson had only been back in town for a few hours, having gone back to Stillwater a few days after the trial only to arrive back at his son's house today to check up on him.

"Boss!" Tony yelled, scaring Baron who let out a bark at the other person getting out of the car before recognizing the man who was walking up the walkway. Baron let out a few more barks of excitement as the Boss came closer towards his Boy but he didn't leave his post by his Boy's side.

"Boss!" Tony cried again and hurried down the four wooden steps, as much as his gait would allow him too, Baron at his heel making sure he didn't trip, "Boss! Boss!"

"Tony," Gibbs said as he reached Tony. Gibbs quickly enveloped the taller man in a hug, one that made emotion shoot through his heart, making his throat tighten as he felt Tony hug him back with all his might.

"Boss," Tony said again, burying his head in the crook of Gibbs neck, breathing in Boss smell. He still smelt the same, even all the way out here which was far from Boss' house. Tony gave Boss another hug, not wanting to let go. It was hard, being without Boss in his new house that wasn't like his room and house with Boss. There was no Elijah or Jack or Boss here but Tony had his Dad which made things okay even if he really really missed Boss sometimes, and Tony had two horses too, which were really nice. And there was lots of places for him and Baron to play fetch and go walking with his Dad.

But now that Boss was here, Tony realized how much he had really missed Boss. It was different than when Boss had gone missing and Tony had had to find him, because Boss wasn't missing or anything. He just was at his house and Tony was at this house with his Dad.

Sometimes, everything was just too confusing to keep straight.

"Boss!" Tony said again, both his hand holding onto Gibbs' vest, "You were my surprise!"

Gibbs opened his mouth to respond to that but stopped when DiNozzo Senior stepped out of the house, wearing a pair of black slacks and a dark blue button up shirt, the shirt sleeves rolled up neatly to mid-forearm.

Senior waved to Sal who pulled away from the driveway to park the car in the garage before turning to his son.

"Dad!" Tony turned and smiled at his father, "Surprise. Dad, I really like this surprise."

Gibbs made eye contact with Senior and even from here, he could see the kind of man Senior could be. Gibbs watched in utter amazement as Senior's gaze softened considerably as he made eye contact with Tony. A genuine smile appeared on his face and his eyes twinkled in mirth, happy that he had made his son happy.

"I'm glad Junior."

"Daaad," Tony drew out the vowel sound, laughter bubbling up from inside him, "I told you, my name's Tony."

Senior smiled and laughed as well. Gibbs could tell, by the look both DiNozzo men shared, that whatever had happened was probably a running joke between father and son.

"I know Tony," Senior said before walking down the porch steps, a well worn pair of black loafers on his feet confirming Gibbs suspicion that Senior was dressed "casually" and had probably stayed home all day.

"Hello again Mr. Gibbs, Agent Gibbs," Senior extended his hand to each of the men, his tone cordial and welcoming, "I just turned on the coffee maker. It should be ready in a few minutes. Mr. Gibbs, is coffee alright or would you like some tea instead?"

"Tea would be just fine, thank you. And please, call me Jack," Jackson said as he made eye contact with Leroy.

Be nice. He didn't have to let you see Tony.

Gibbs glanced at Senior before looking at his father, allowing his gaze to soften. He didn't have to say anything to his father, knowing his dad would understand.

Jackson nodded once more before following Senior back into the house, both men talking about the merits of coffee over tea and how no one appreciated a good cup these days. Despite everything, the conversation made Gibbs smile, thinking of Ducky and how the elder Scot would have loved to be privy to Jackson and Senior's conversation.

"How've you been Tony?" Gibbs asked, when both men were back in the house, the screen door opening and closing gently in the breeze.

"Good," Tony nodded, smiling before looking back at the house, "Oh Boss! Guess what?"

Gibbs smiled falling into a familiar pattern, "Yes Tony?"

"Blue. Surprise. I have a horse!" Tony said, doing a small about-face and walking towards the field that was adjacent to the paddocks that held the horses, "Boss, come on. You gotta see him."

Glancing once more over his shoulder, Gibbs noted that the man who drove them, a well-built man by the name of Sal, had walked out of the front door and was sitting calmly on the porch, sitting in the same seat that Tony had been sitting in when they had first pulled up.

Sal tipped his head in Gibbs' direction, a silent instruction to make sure no harm befell Tony in anyway. Feeling a spark of anger rise in his gut, Gibbs tried to reign in the fire. He had been taking care of Tony for months, years, before Senior took him away from him. He didn't need some lacky of Senior's to remind him how to do his job.

"Bye Sal, I'm gonna look at my horse, okay?" Tony called out, having caught sight of the man on the porch as well.

"Alright Tony, be careful," Sal smiled, that same look of fondness that Gibbs had seen countless times on Elijah's own face. So Sal was more than just some hired hand. Sal was most likely Tony's helper.

"That's Sal," Tony said, no longer looking back at the house. Instead, he was looking at the fence to the field where his horse was, "He's really nice. He's been friends with my dad since I was shorter…um, no. I mean younger. He taught me how to ride a bike cause dad was on a business trip I think when I was really little and he likes horses too."

"Oh," Gibbs said, knowing it didn't take much to encourage Tony to talk. And since he hadn't seen his boy in a little over a month, he was dying just to hear Tony's voice. He didn't care what he was talking about.

"Yeah, he's nice. He helps with the horses all the time," Tony nodded before reaching the fence, "Boss, look see? Two horses. One is my dad's and one is mine. See? Watch."

Tony whistled loudly and Gibbs looked over. Tony hadn't been able to do that a month ago and he was happy to see Tony had regained that skill.

"Dad taught me to whistle Boss," Tony smiled and looked out into the field, "I had to learn a different way cause the way I was trying to do it wasn't working anymore. But Dad showed me his way and I can whistle now. Which is good cause that way the horses hear me."

Gibbs nodded along and smiled when Tony let out another sharp whistle, using his thumb and finger pressed against his lips to make the sharp noise.

"Look, look, here he comes," Tony let out a happy chuckle before settling down. Baron, who watched the proceedings with his usual calm, was sitting a few feet from Tony's feet, his ears pointed towards the two horses that were walking their way.

"They would run if I had an apple," Tony laughed, looking at Gibbs, "But because I don't they're just gonna walk. Which is okay, right Boss? You don't always have to go fast."

"That's right Tony," Gibbs agreed, watching as both horses came right up to Tony and nuzzled his hands.

"Bella," Tony said, gently petting the blue roan quarter horse on the forehead, "Beautiful. That's what her name means. She's my dad's. Isn't she pretty Boss?"

Gibbs extended his hand, letting the mare sniff his hand before he gently petted her neck, "She is Tony."

Tony adjusted the beanie on his head before moving towards the other horse. The other horse threw his head up and let out a small neigh before lowering his head and bumping Tony lovingly in the chest. Tony laughed and placed his hand on the horse's muzzle, letting his horse sniff and lip his fingers gently.

"This is my horse. His name is Denny," Tony nodded, "He's a buckskin gelding Boss, just like Denny was in The Man From Snowy River."

Gibbs laughed vaguely remembering the horse from that movie and extended his hand towards Denny as well.

"My dad was gonna name him Cisco, like the horse from Dances with Wolves, but Cisco dies in that movie and Denny doesn't die in The Man From Snowy River. Dad didn't know though, that Denny dies in the sequel, Return to Snowy River, but that's okay cause I like Denny for a horse's name a lot better."

Gibbs nodded and watched as Denny sniffed his hand before swinging his head back towards Tony. Denny gently placed his head in Tony's chest and stood still as Tony used his good hand to brush the forelock out of Denny's eyes.

"I like him Boss," Tony whispered, "When I go back with you, can I come back here too? Denny is really nice."

Thinking of Tony coming back to live with him made the same emotions rise up in his chest and despite everything, Gibbs felt the pain in his heart and the moisture build up in his eyes.

"I love you Tony," Gibbs said, reaching over to hug his surrogate son. Tony returned the hug and sighed, closing his eyes as he leaned in to Boss.

Gibbs carefully adjusted Tony's beanie, wishing he could fix everything like he could fix the beanie that had almost fallen off Tony's head.

If only life were that simple.

"I love you too Boss."

I got a surprise today. Jack and Boss came to see me at my dad's house. I didn't know they were coming, which was why it was a surprise, and it was nice cause Boss got to see my other room and my dad made some really really good food like he makes sometimes.

It wasn't pizza, which is okay cause I can't always eat pizza, but it was Italian too and it was called something that I don't remember the name but it had chicken in a creamy sauce even though it wasn't chicken alferdo cause I don't really like that.

But Boss and Jack stayed until it got dark out and me and Boss and Baron went outside again only this time, Jack and my Dad came and we went to the paddock again and Jack got to see my horse and my Dad's horse.

This time I brought Denny and Bella apples that were filled with molasses and Denny really liked it cause he ate it in two big bites. Bella ate her's just as fast and even tried to steal Denny's cause he wasn't as fast as she was.

Boss and Jack had to go home, after that, and I didn't understand why I couldn't go with them. I mean, I love my Dad a lot and I like Sal too and Baron likes it here and I love my room but I wanted to go with Jack and Boss cause I miss them too, and I miss Abby and Probie and Jimmy and Ducky and Ziva. I miss Probie and Jimmy playing games with me and I miss Abby's hugs and I miss Ziva singing to me like she does.

I wanted to go but Dad said no and shook his head. He held my hand really gently like I know he did when I was really little, but I wasn't little anymore and I didn't understand why I couldn't just go with them. I told him that I would come back, cause I liked staying with him too and I liked Sal and Denny but he shook his head again and Boss and Jack looked really sad too cause Boss' face crinkled up like it always did when he was sad or angry…or both.

Jack just gave me a hug and kissed me on the head and Boss gave me a big hug and I tried not to cry when he did but I started to anyway cause Boss always said it was okay to cry and I was sad and that meant it was okay to cry.

Boss told me though that I didn't need to be sad cause he wasn't missing, he was just at a different house and I tried not to be sad but I didn't do a really good job of not being sad cause I kept crying.

Boss gave me one more hug and fixed my blue beanie before him and Jack walked down the four steps of the porch and into the car that Sal was driving cause he was gonna take them back to their house which was my house too even if I wasn't staying in my old room right now.

I know I shouldn't be sad but its hard cause I miss Boss and everyone else and I just don't understand why everyone always has to make things so confusing that I can't understand anything.