A/N I know I've been MIA and I apologize! Real life has been busy and I appreciate you sticking with me! Thanks for all the reviews and to my beta, Gotta!

12:00 AM - Sunday Morning…

Tony stretched lazily and winced as he took a deep breath and attempted to swallow through the thick layer of mucus coating his throat. He felt significantly worse than he did a few hours ago and wondered when the antibiotics were going to kick in. Blearily opening his eyes he glanced at the clock and was happy to see he'd managed a few hours of sleep. Slowly sitting up he took a sip of water and grabbed his phone off the end table. He was expecting to see several missed calls from Ducky, but was surprised when there were none from the older man. Instead there were numerous missed calls from Jimmy, Ziva and Abby. Oh, this can't be good he thought as he decided which one of his co-workers to call. Did something happen to Gibbs, Ducky or Timmy? If there were a medical emergency then Palmer would be the one to speak with, but if it were case related, Ziva would more likely be the appropriate person to talk to. As his thumb hovered over the buttons on thephone it began vibrating with a call from Ziva.

"He…L…lo." He managed to croak out.

"I am so glad you finally picked up, Tony. I know you are very sick but I have some bad news." Ziva's tone made his stomach clench up and he thought for a moment he might be sick.

"Who?"

"It is Ducky." She paused and he could hear someone speaking in the background.

"What the hell happened?" Tony tried to shout, but realized that was a mistake as he started coughing violently. Holding the phone away from his mouth he continued coughing until the tickle in the back of his throat subsided. Breathless, he took a few sips of water and came back on the line. "Sorry Ziva. I'm back now."

"I am sorry, Tony. Allow me to do all the talking and at the end you can ask questions. When Ducky was returning home he noticed there was a young woman being robbed and stopped to help. Apparently there was a struggle and Ducky was shot in the stomach."

Tony's breathing hitched and he collapsed back onto the bed, "I'm dreaming right? Please tell me the medication that Ducky gave me earlier is causing me to have nightmares!"

Ziva sighed, "As much as I wish that to be true, it is not."

"Well then please tell me he's still alive, Ziva!"

"He is currently at Bethesda in critical condition. Vance, Jimmy and Abby are there waiting to speak with the Director sent me out to the crime scene to babysit Metro and I will be leaving for the hospital soon. We have all been trying to call Gibbs, but he is not answering. You do not happen to know his father's number, do you?"

"They're not at Jackson's house. Actually…" Tony paused; Gibbs hadn't been the one to tell him about the disagreement with his father. He didn't find that out until after talking with Ducky and wasn't even sure where Gibbs and Timmy were spending the night. "I don't know it Ziva. We're going to have to keep trying his cell phone but also need to remember he's nearly four hours away!" He coughed harshly and grimaced as his chest and throat ached as a result. "Could you come by and pick me up on your way to Bethesda? I want to be there with the rest of my family!"

"Tony you are sick and must stay in bed. Besides, how do you think Ducky would react if he knew you were out and about? It is not wise to spread your germs to the rest of us either."

"If you don't come and pick me up I'll drive over there on my own. Every time one of us is injured Ducky is always there. The least we can do is be there for him. How about if I wear a surgical mask to prevent some of my germs from spreading?"

Ziva knew Tony was stubborn and regardless if she gave him a ride or not he'd show up just as he promised. He was a grown man and without Gibbs around to dole out head smacks, there was nothing stopping him. "I will make you a deal, Tony. I will stop by and get you, but if Vance orders you to go home then you will have to find a ride. I am leaving now so I should be there in the next fifteen minutes."

"I'll be ready."

After the two disconnected, Tony slid out of bed and groaned as a wave of dizziness suddenly overcame him. He knew Ziva was right and that Ducky would be pissed for coming to the hospital when he was feeling lousy. However, the older man could yell at him later. Later, when he was on the road to recovery. They'd all been through so much together and there was no way they were going to lose him now. Grabbing a quick shower he felt marginally better and dressed in multiple layers for the trip to the hospital. It appeared his fever had broken during his nap, but he figured it would be back with a vengeance. When he sat down to tie his sneakers he realized how sick he really was. Even if he had to sleep at the hospital he'd feel much better knowing he was around his family if they needed him. Grabbing a variety of supplies including medications, a phone charger and an extra sweatshirt he stuffed them into his backpack and headed out to meet Ziva.

6:00am – Sunday Morning…

Tony sighed, "I hate to be the one to tell you this, boss, but something happened to Ducky last night."

"What?!" Gibbs bellowed causing Timmy to stir next to him. Damn it he thought as Tim rolled onto his tummy and emitted a small snuffle. "Hang on a minute, DiNozzo." Rubbing small circles on the toddler's back he was able to lull Tim back to sleep and rolled out of bed. Tiptoeing to the bathroom he closed the door and took a seat on the edge of the tub. Taking a deep breath he tried to corral all the guilt and anxiety he was feeling before speaking with the younger man.

"Are you there, Boss?"

"Yeah, I'm here. Now what happened?"

"I'm going to give you the shortened version." Tony coughed and Gibbs shuddered at how sick his surrogate son sounded.

"No offense, DiNozzo, but I don't want to hear the shortened version! I want you to rest your voice!" Gibbs could hear people talking in the background and knew Tony was not alone. "Who else is there that I can talk to?"

There was rustling as the phone was passed to an unknown person. Drumming his fingers along the edge of the tub his blood pressure started to rise as he waited for someone to talk to. He needed to know what was wrong with Ducky and he needed to know now! Finally after what seemed like an eternity the background noise diminished and a deep sigh permeated through the end of the phone line.

"Gibbs, it's me."

"Leon, what happened to Ducky?"

"Dr. Mallard was attempting to thwart an attack on a young woman last night when he was on his way home from taking care of DiNozzo. He was shot in the stomach and is currently in surgery. He had a collapsed lung when he arrived at Bethesda and lost a lot of blood, but the doctors were able to stabilize him."

Gibbs was shocked and sat in silence as he digested the information he'd just been told. Out of all the possible scenarios that had run through his mind, Ducky getting shot was not on the top of the list. He felt completely helpless and wished he was there with the rest of the team. Ducky was like a father to him and he'd never forgive himself if the older man didn't survive. Vance could hear heavy breathing through the phone line and waited a moment before continuing. "We're all saddened to see Dr. Mallard in this position, Gibbs. The best thing you can do for him right now is to make it back here in one piece. I know you're over four hours away, but your kids need you right now, all of them."

"I need them too." Gibbs managed to whisper, swallowing past the lump in his throat. "Who's taking point on this case? I don't want anyone but…"

"Metro!" Vance interrupted, as he knew where his Team Leader was headed with his questioning. "We all want to find the bastard responsible for this and the Chief has agreed to keep us in the loop. Dr. Mallard is our co-worker and friend and nobody wants justice more than me, but when the suspect's caught I don't want there to be any loopholes for him to wiggle out of. We are not investigating this case and that's an order!"

Gibbs opened his mouth to argue, but realized it wouldn't do any good. He would try and plead his case once they made it to Bethesda. By being on the phone and arguing they were wasting precious time that could be spent getting ready. Scoffing slightly he responded, "You know you haven't heard the last of this conversation, Leon. I'm going to get ready and then we'll be on our way back to Virginia. Call me and let me know when you hear any updates from the doctors. Tell my kids I'll be there as soon as I can."

"You got it. You have a son to think about now, Gibbs. Drive safe and smart!"

"I will as long as you keep me updated."

The two men disconnected and Gibbs poked his head out the bathroom door to check on his son. Tim was still sleeping soundly so he ducked back into the bathroom and stripped. He turned the water on and when it warmed up he hopped in. His shoulders sagged as the water massaged his aching body and he realized how tired he still was. Driving back to Virginia early had not been his game plan for the day. He'd planned on taking Timmy to the children's museum he saw signs for on their way to the bed and breakfast. It was supposed to be a fun day for the two of them to get to spend some quality father / son time together. He sighed as he squirted shampoo into his hair and worked it into lather. Ducky needed to know he was there and that they would catch the bastard responsible for inflicting so much pain. He also knew the older man had a long road of recovery ahead of him. After surgery he would need months of rehabilitation and there was the possibility that Ducky would be forced into retirement due to the physical demands of his job. Sending up a prayer for the doctors to take good care of Ducky during surgery he lathered his body with soap and rinsed off. After drying off he stepped out of the shower and realized he didn't have any clean clothes in the bathroom. He wanted to let Timmy sleep for as long as possible as he knew today was going to be a very long day for both of them. Wrapping the towel around his waist he stepped out into the bedroom to find Timmy in the throes of a nightmare. Gibbs rushed to the bed and took a seat as the youngster cried out, flaying his tiny arms and legs as if he was trying to escape. Laying his hand on Tim's back, Gibbs rubbed small circles attempting to wake his frightened son.

"Shh Timmy, it's okay. Wake up, kiddo. You're having a bad dream."

Immediately upon hearing his daddy's voice, Tim's eyes popped open and he burst into tears. Gibbs pulled the toddler into his arms and soothingly stroked his back as Tim buried his face against his chest. "Aww sweetie did you have a bad dream?" He nuzzled closer to Tim and whispered in his ear, "Daddy is here now and I'm not going to let anything happen to you!"

Tim continued sobbing as Gibbs tightened his grip around the toddler's trembling frame and whispered reassurances in his ear. Finally, after a few minutes Tim's tears subsided and he hiccupped intermittently. Pulling the youngster away from his chest so he could see his face, Gibbs wiped his tear stained face with a tissue and ran his hand through his sweaty hair. "Aww my poor baby! You want to tell Daddy what your dream was about?"

The little guy shrugged his shouldersand mumbled, "Dada go buh-bye. N…n…me no see no mor!"

Gibbs' heart sank and once again he wrapped his strong muscular arms around his son, "Daddy will always be here for you sweetie. As long as you keep me close to your heart I will never leave you." Tim nodded against his shoulder and they cuddled for a few more minutes, each basking in the comfort of the other. Once he felt Tim had calmed down enough, Gibbs pried his arms off from around his neck and laid him down on the bed. Tim giggled as Gibbs lightly tickled his tummy and reached for the television remote. Flipping the channels he eventually found cartoons and leaned down, inches away from his already enthralled son, "Can you be a good boy and watch cartoons while I finish getting ready?"

Tim's thumb crept up to his mouth and he briefly made eye contact with Gibbs before returning his attention to the television. The older man chuckled and turned to find their suitcase. After digging out clean clothes for both of them, Gibbs slipped on a fresh pair of boxers and finished in the bathroom. When he returned a few minutes later Timmy was still staring at the TV in the same position he'd been when he left. While he dressed he thought about how he might tell his little boy about what happened to Ducky. Tim would naturally be upset as he considered the older man to be his grandpa and someone he could trust. He wanted to protect Tim as he'd already been through so much during the past six weeks, but he also didn't want to lie to the little guy. It was a thin line to walk as a parent, wanting to protect your child, but also not wanting to coddle them too much. After much deliberation he'd decided that he would let Timmy know that Ducky was hurt, but not how badly or what from. The poor kid was already having nightmares and didn't need any further trauma inflicted on him. After he finished dressing he grabbed a clean diaper and headed toward the bed. The sight of his son, lying on his back, thumb in his mouth while his other hand played with his toes through the sleeper took his breath away. Tim was his son and he was perfect in every way.

"Hey sweetie, let's get you into a fresh diaper and some clean clothes."

The toddler shrieked when Gibbs turned off the TV and threw the remote to the side. He wanted Tim's full attention when he told him about Ducky and he certainly wasn't going to get it while there were cartoons on.

"Shh!" Gibbs admonished, putting his finger up to his lips before he continued, "No screaming, Timmy. We're guests here and we have to be on our best behavior." Tim removed his thumb from his mouth and blew raspberries at the older man. Gibbs chewed on his bottom lip to keep from smiling and glared at his son. Tim knew that glare meant business and he immediately popped his thumb back in his mouth.

"Sowry Dada." He mumbled around the digit as Gibbs unzipped his sleeper and finagled his arms and legs out of it.

"It's fine, kiddo. I'd rather be cuddling and watching TV too." He made quick work of Tim's diaper change, paying careful attention to the rash that appeared less angry than the night before. Tim squirmed and whined as he spread the cool balm on his bottom and Gibbs couldn't help but feel sorry for the little guy. "I'm sorry, sweetie. Am I hurting you?"

Tim's brow furrowed and he removed his thumb from his mouth. "Oushie Dada!"

Gibbs sighed sympathetically and finished rubbing the cream into Tim's delicate, pink skin, "Sorry it hurts, baby, but it's for your own good." He reached down and rubbed the toddler's tummy, "I'm so proud that you're being such a good boy and letting me take care of you." Tim giggled and flashed a mostly toothless grin that caused Gibbs' heart to melt into a puddle of goo. He wasn't looking forward to telling him that Ducky had been hurt after seeing Tim so carefree and relaxed. Taking a deep breath he pulled the diaper up between the toddler's legs and taped each side. "All done my boy!"

"Ah, ah, ah!" Gibbs chuckled as Tim rolled onto his belly and got up on all fours to crawl away. The older man gently patted Tim's bottom, "You silly boy! I still need to get you dressed. It's too cold for you to go out in just a diaper!"

Tim's bottom lip stuck out in a pout as Gibbs picked him up and laid him back down on the bed. "Let's get your clothes on and then you can crawl around a bit while I'm packing up." That appeared to satisfy the youngster and he giggled as Gibbs tickled his feet before putting on his socks. Next came the onesie and he was able to slip it over Tim's head and button it at the crotch with minimal fuss. Finally a pair of warm sweatpants and fleece sweatshirt completed the little guy's outfit. It was going to be a long day and Gibbs wanted Tim to be as comfortable as possible. Gathering Tim in his arms he sat down on the bed and plopped Tim in his lap. "Once we get your shoes on I'll put you down on the floor and you can explore."

"Kay."

"Good boy!" Gibbs praised, leaning down to kiss the top of Tim's head. Guiding the toddler's foot into one shoe, he took a deep breath, as he knew time was running out to tell him about Ducky. It was imperative he told him before they left for home instead of when they were in the car or arrived at the hospital. He wanted to be able to console Timmy and explain that everything would be all right. At least he prayed everything would be all right. After managing to get both shoes tied he turned Tim around so they were facing each other. Running his fingers through the toddler's hair he spoke softly, "Timmy..." He swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat when the youngster gave him a puzzled look. "Timmy, we have to go home early because Grandpa Ducky got a bad boo-boo. The doctors are going to help him though, okay?"

Tears formed in Tim's eyes and he burrowed closer to Gibbs before muttering, "Gwapa Duck be kay?"

"I hope so, kiddo." Gibbs whispered as he wrapped his arms around Tim and rested his chin on the toddler's head. "I sure hope so." He didn't even want to think about the possibility of losing his dear friend and surrogate father. They sat cuddling for a moment until Tim started to squirm and reached for the bed. Gibbs chuckled and gently rubbed his son's back, "You want to play for a few minutes while I get packed up?"

Standing up he wiped the tears from Tim's cheeks and kissed him on the forehead. Depositing his baby on the plush carpeting he laughed as Tim immediately took off to explore his surroundings. The room was large enough to allow him to pack up their luggage while also giving Tim his own space to feel independent. It didn't take long to pack as most of the clothing was still tucked away in the suitcase. It was only a matter of collecting the dirty clothes and toiletries they'd used during their visit. Ten minutes later they were headed downstairs; Tim firmly cradled under one of Gibbs' arms while the older man carried the suitcase in the other. After leaving the suitcase by the door they walked into the library and Gibbs was surprised to find all of Timmy's toys already packed away neatly in the duffle bag ready to go. The smell of coffee made his mouth water and he could hear noise coming from the kitchen. Suddenly Iris appeared in the doorway, "Wow you two are early risers! I'm making pancakes, eggs and sausage for breakfast if you're interested. It should be ready in a few minutes." At that moment Timmy's tummy growled and he tugged on Gibbs' shirtsleeve, "Wan baba Dada!"

"I know, sweetie." Gibbs responded, gently patting Tim's chubby tummy.

"Give me a moment sweetheart and I'll make you a fresh bottle and get your Daddy a cup of coffee."

"Actually I don't mind getting it…" Gibbs paused and shrugged his shoulders as he looked around the kitchen, "You have enough going on this morning. If you point me to the milk and microwave I can take care of it myself."

"Of course dear." She led the two into the spacious kitchen and pointed to the refrigerator, "Help yourself to whatever you'd like. The bottles are in the dish rack and the microwave is on the counter over there."

"Thanks! Son, I'm going to put you down for a minute so I can get your milk, okay?"

"Huwwy Dada!" The youngster whined as Gibbs sat him down in a chair and opened the refrigerator.

"I'm hurrying, kiddo."

Iris laughed at the interaction between father and son, "He's really got you wrapped around his little finger doesn't he?"

"He's my son. Of course he does and I wouldn't have it any other way."

As Gibbs went to work making a fresh bottle, Iris started scrambling eggs and looked over at him, "I'm used to getting up early, but what's your excuse? I assumed after the day you two had yesterday that you'd sleep in a while."

"That's what I had hoped for too, but I got a call this morning that one of our friends back in Virginia was injured badly and in the hospital."

"Oh, I'm so sorry dear!" Iris poured Gibbs a cup of coffee while he waited for the bottle to heat up. "Is your friend going to be okay?"

"Umm…" Gibbs glanced briefly at Tim who was listening intently and turned back toward Iris, "I hope so, he is part of our family and I don't know what we would do without him."

Iris supportively patted his hand, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Gibbs smiled appreciatively and replied, "You've already been plenty helpful to the both of us. You allowed us to stay even though we didn't have reservations plus you cooked dinner and now breakfast." He shook his head and continued, "Believe me, you've gone above and beyond in making us feel at home."

The older woman blushed and started dishing out food onto plates for Gibbs and Timmy. "We've thoroughly enjoyed both of you staying with us and hope you'll come back for a visit!"

"Yesh!" Timmy squealed excitedly and clapped his hands together.

The two adults chuckled at the youngster's response and Gibbs promptly collected Tim in his arms and smothered him with kisses. "Good response, kiddo. We will definitely be coming back here." The microwave beeped signaling the bottle was warmed and Timmy licked his lips in anticipation.

"Here you go kiddo." Gibbs chuckled as he handed the bottle to his little guy and watched as he stuck the nipple between his lips and sucked vigorously. "Is it good?"

Tim's eyes widened and he squealed in delight around the obstruction in his mouth.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"I'll take that as a yes too." Iris cooed, flipping hot pancakes on to each of their plates. "Breakfast is served my dears. If you want to go into the dining room I'll follow behind you with your plates."

Gibbs smiled, grabbed his cup of coffee and headed back into the dining room with Iris trailing closely behind. The older woman set the plates down on the table and said, "Let me get the rest of the condiments and I'll join you two for breakfast."

"That would be nice." Gibbs responded, sitting down at the table and plopping Tim in his lap. Although it was only polite to wait for Iris to return before they started eating, Gibbs wanted to get on the road as quickly as possible. Ducky would be out of surgery soon and he wanted the older man to know he was there for him. He started cutting Tim's breakfast and scooped up a spoon of scrambled eggs for the toddler. Tim contemplated between the bottle and eggs and after some gentle coaxing from Gibbs he removed the nipple from his mouth and welcome the delicious eggs. "Attaboy!"

Iris returned from the kitchen with butter and syrup and took a seat across from Gibbs and Timmy. She chuckled lightly as the two happily stuffed their mouths with food. "How is it? Everything to your liking?"

Timmy hummed in delight as he stuffed another piece of sausage in his mouth and leaned back against Gibbs' chest. The older man ruffled his curly blonde hair and took a sip of coffee; "I'm not lying when I say this is the best breakfast I've had in a long time. Before Tim came along I wasn't much of a breakfast guy, mainly drank coffee, but now that I have him I've been trying to change my habits because he needs breakfast." He winked and added, "If I could have breakfast like this every day I don't think it would be too hard to break my bad habits."

The older woman chuckled, "Growing boys certainly need a balanced breakfast to start the day. You're a good dad; I'm not worried about this little cutie starving by any means." She paused and continued, "How long of a drive is it back to Virginia?"

"Around four hours with no stops. I filled up on gas when we got to Stillwater so I'm hoping we'll be able to make it back with no extra stops."

"Well four hours isn't too bad, but I can imagine when you're wanting to get home to an injured friend the time can't go by quick enough. I'll pack some snacks for the two of you and refill Tim's bottles with milk. We can't have the little guy being unhappy, can we?"

Gibbs opened his mouth to argue, but knew Iris would ignore his protests. She and Ezra had done so much for the two of them he hoped he'd be able to find their daughter Andrea and reunite them. He realized he didn't know much about the younger woman except for her name and wanted to get more information before they left. Smiling, he responded, "I was planning on arguing with you, but the short amount of time I've gotten to know you I've realized you would do it anyway. Like I said before, I can't thank you enough for all that you've done for us. After we went upstairs last night I was wondering about your daughter Andrea. How old would she be now?"

Iris raised her eyebrows slightly and finished swallowing the food in her mouth. Wiping her face with the napkin she sighed deeply and stated, "I had Andrea when I was thirty three years old. Back in the day, all my friends and relatives were having babies when they were in their twenties, but Ezra and I wanted to wait until we were established in our marriage and ready for kids. Our sweet little Andrea turned thirty-seven in August."

Gibbs nodded, "So if Andrea had your grand…"

"Granddaughter…" Iris sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes with the napkin.

"Granddaughter…" Gibbs nodded and reached over to pat Iris' hand before continuing, "Depending on when she was born she is either twenty one or will be turning twenty one soon?"

"That would be correct. Do you have any idea what it's like to have a child and not watch them grow up? Andrea is a stranger to me now and I have no idea where she is or if she's married or how many children she has. I have this huge, empty hole inside my heart and no matter how hard I try, nothing or nobody can fill it."

Swallowing past the lump is his throat; Gibbs grabbed the older woman's hand, "I know you might find this hard to believe, but I know exactly how you're feeling." He paused when Iris lifted her head and gave him a confused look. Squeezing her hand gently he continued, "My wife and daughter passed away over twenty years ago and I know what it's like to have a huge empty hole inside your heart." Sighing, he added, "I will always miss my two girls, but having Tim around has allowed me to heal in ways I never imagined possible. I've been given a second chance to be a father and it's not a job I take for granted. Kissing boo- boo's, bubble baths, diaper changes, I can't get enough of it."

Iris smiled broadly and cast her glance on Tim who was sucking contentedly on the bottle, "I'm so sorry for your loss, but I could tell from the moment we met that the two of you were meant to be together. Anyone can see that Tim loves and admires you and that you are completely smitten with the little guy. It warms my heart to know that there's still hope for me."

Gibbs wrapped his arms lightly around Tim's waist and leaned down to kiss the top of his head. "Anyone would be lucky to have you as a parent or grandparent. I know we just met but I feel a strong connection with you. I was wondering if perhaps you and Ezra would like to be considered Tim's grandparents. In my opinion a child can never have too much love or grandparents."

Ezra appeared from the kitchen and stood by Iris' side, "Sorry I was eavesdropping and heard your entire conversation." He squeezed his wife's shoulder and responded, "I would love to be a grandpa! Been waiting my entire life to get the opportunity!" The older woman smiled as tears welled up in her eyes, "Me too! Consider us Tim's honorary grandparents! You have to promise me though that you'll try and work things out with your father. He needs to be a part of your lives too."

"I'll try." Gibbs swallowed hard, nodded and took a sip of his coffee.

Tim removed the bottle from his mouth, looked up at Gibbs and then pointed to Ezra and Iris, "Gwapa…Gwama?

"Yeah, how do you feel about having another grandpa and grandma?"

"Kay Dada!" The youngster squealed and inserted the nipple of the bottle back in his mouth. All three adults laughed and Gibbs used his napkin to wipe the dribble of milk running down Tim's chin.

"That was definitely a yes." Gibbs glanced at his watch and frowned. Although they were thoroughly enjoying their time with the Kleins they needed to get on the road sooner rather than later. Iris noticed and stood up to collect their plates, "I understand you need to leave and get to your friend, hon." She coaxed the empty bottle out of Timmy's hand and continued; "I'll fill a few bottles with milk while you get your car warmed up and all the luggage loaded. Feel free to leave Tim in the library and when I'm finished I'll come in and watch him until you're ready to leave."

Gibbs nodded, stood and deposited Tim on the rug in the library. "Daddy is going to warm up the car so I expect you to be a good boy while I'm gone." Tim didn't even acknowledge him as he crawled away to start exploring. Ezra handed him his coat with a promise he'd wrangle the toddler into his by the time he came back inside. Gibbs bundled up, grabbed the luggage and headed outside to clear off the fresh, powdery snow from his car. It was chilly, but the snow had moved through overnight and he hoped they could make it back without any issues. He knew the main roads would be plowed and he was grateful he had four- wheel drive to help with the back roads. Starting the car he grabbed the snow scrapper out of the back seat and went to work clearing every inch of snow from the car. By the time he finished the car was warmed up and comfortable enough for Timmy. Throwing the luggage in the trunk he pulled out his money clip and counted enough money for the room plus a generous tip. Trudging back inside he opened the door and was greeted by the sweet giggles of his little boy. Ezra was sitting on the floor next to Tim tickling him senseless while Iris watched with amusement. It wasn't until the older man noticed Gibbs leaning against the doorframe watching that he stopped and pulled the toddler into a sitting position. Breathless, Tim spotted Gibbs from across the room and squealed loudly "Dada! Go buh-bye?"

"Yep, it's time to go home, son. You want to say bye and thank you to Grandpa and Grandma?"

Tim nodded, crawled into Ezra's lap and giggled as the older man wrapped him up in a giant hug. Ezra kissed the top of his head and whispered, "It was nice to meet you Timmy! I want you to be a good boy for your Daddy until we see you again, okay?"

"Kay Gwapa." Tim mumbled and extended his arms out as Iris reached down and scooped him up. She hugged him tightly against her chest and kissed his cheek. Gently patting his bottom she cooed, "Thanks for letting me get to know you, sweetheart. I can't wait for you to come back and play the piano some more." Tim giggled, pointed to the piano and shrieked, "Me pwaymor!" Gibbs chuckled as he took Tim from Iris' arms and responded, "I'll look into getting some type of keyboard or piano when we get home Timmy." He pulled Iris in for a quick hug and whispered in her ear, "Thanks again for being a gracious host. We'll keep in touch via email and hopefully in the next few months we can make it back to visit."

Ezra extended his hand and gave Gibbs a hearty handshake. "It was nice meeting you and I hope we see you back here soon." He handed Gibbs a business card and continued, "Here's our contact information if you ever need anything."

"Thanks. It was nice meeting you too! I hate to cut this short but we really need to get going."

"We'll walk you out." Iris replied, collecting the bottles and a travel mug of coffee for Gibbs. When they reached the car Gibbs buckled Tim into the car seat and turned to gather the bottles from the older woman. He smiled when he saw the travel mug and gave Iris another hug, "This is going to save me from having to stop before we get on the road. Thank you so much!" After handing over the money for their stay he waved goodbye and honked as they drove away. The bed and breakfast had provided a nice distraction, but now that they were on their way home his number one priority was Ducky and being with his family.