Tony waited outside the hospital with baby Jack. Gibbs was pulling the car around so they could head to Stillwater. Gibbs had already gotten permission to take off and stay in Stillwater as long as Tony, Emily, and the kids were there. Gibbs had rented a moving trailer to carry the few possessions they were taking with them. They were bringing Emily's van since it was the only vehicle that could transport all six adults and children. When Gibbs arrived with the van. Emily got out and helped him fasten baby Jack into the middle seat of the second row of seats. Before climbing into the passenger seat beside Gibbs. Emily, Jack, and Claire were in the second row while Dylan was in the way back.
"You take your pills last night?" Gibbs asked.
"Yes I did." Tony assured.
"Did you pack them?" Gibbs asked.
"Yes dad." Tony sighed.
"Tony I have risked my life saving your ass way too many times for you to die of organ rejection." Gibbs warned.
"I know dad and thanks for staying with us in Stillwater." Tony replied.
"You aren't quite back on your game yet and I can't leave a man without backup." Gibbs explained.
"Just remember I'm not worth dying for." Tony replied.
"Yes you are! I could never live with myself if anything happened to you. Even more so baby Jack and Emily's family." Gibbs explained.
"Emily and the kids are worth a human life. I am not." Tony replied.
"Listen to me DiNozzo. You would have never been on my team if I didn't feel that you were worth me risking my life for." Gibbs explained.
"You're a hell of a man Boss." Tony replied.
"My dad is too and he already has his shotgun ready." Gibbs replied.
"That sounds like Jack." Tony replied.
"That's another thing my dad doesn't risk his life for just anybody and I don't put my dad at risk for just anybody." Gibbs explained.
"What about LJ is he cool with this?" Tony asked.
"He's got his shotgun too." Gibbs replied
"Well alright." Tony replied.
"Tony I don't think you can count the people willing to risk their lives for you." Gibbs replied.
"That's a little unbelievable." Tony scoffed.
"Tony how many times have you risked your life for complete strangers?" Gibbs questioned.
"A lot I guess." Tony replied.
"Countless and I make sure that people know it and because of that they want to protect you." Gibbs explained.
"I just hope that nobody dies for me." Tony replied.
Upon arrival in Stillwater Gibbs sent Tony, Emily, and the kids upstairs to get set up in their rooms. While Jack and him talked downstairs in the store. Jack was ringing up a customer. Gibbs recognized him as Max Davidson that he had went to high school with.
"Max what are you doing here? I thought you moved to Indiana after high school?" Gibbs asked.
"I'm back to take care of my dad. Cancer and diabetes he's been in a wheelchair for about two years now. I thought you were in DC working some fancy fed job?" Max asked.
"I am but well my cousin Tony just had a lung transplant and he needs to recover. So I brought him and his family up here." Tony explained.
"Tony! That's Willard's boy's name!" Max cried.
"Yeah well after Will and Melissa died I took Tony in and finished raising him. He was about thirteen at the time." Gibbs explained.
"That was very sweet of you. I hope that he recovers well." Max replied.
"He is recovered pretty well so far but I thought he would do better in a small town away from all the hustle and bustle." Gibbs explained.
"Oh well you want to go get a coffee and Maratha's diner or is it still too hard for you to go in that place? They still have a picture of your mom hanging there." Max questioned.
"No it's cool I have to get settled in tonight. Tomorrow sometime?" Gibbs asked.
"Sure I'm good at both sixes." Max replied.
"Sounds good I'll call you tonight and give you a definite time." Gibbs replied.
"Leroy how about you help Max here carry these groceries to Widow Hansen's place?" Jack asked.
"How is she doing?" Gibbs asked.
"She broke her other hip last month and isn't recovering that well. I don't think she's going to be with us that much longer." Jack replied solemnly.
"That's too bad. I need to get set up upstairs but I can take a few more minutes." Tony replied.
"Come on Leroy we can start catching up." Max replied.
Emily fell back on to the queen sized bed in the room she was sharing with Tony. She hated to be missing the last few weeks of work but two more paychecks weren't worth putting her family at risk. It infuriated her that her family had to go through this. Especially Tony hadn't that man endured enough in his life? What about him drew such bad luck?
"You unpacked?" Tony asked entering the room.
"Yeah" Emily replied.
"You sure it's OK if baby Jack sleeps in here? It's the only way both the older kids can have their own rooms. The Gibbs men are already sharing the living room Big Jack is on the couch and Gibbs is on a cot." Tony explained.
"No it's fine I just feel bad about taking Big Jack's room. He shouldn't be sleeping on the couch with his back and leg problems. Same goes for Gibbs on the cot." Emily replied.
"They assured me that they are fine." Tony replied.
"Where is Gibbs?' Emily asked.
"He is helping an old friend take groceries to an old widow." Tony explained.
"That's nice of him." Emily replied.
Gibbs looked at his watch as he made his way back from Widow Hansen's place. If he hurried he would beat his dad and or Emily to the kitchen to make dinner. It actually felt good to be back in Stillwater. He had thought that it would be great to finally be back at NCIS but it was just weird. It was weird to look at Tony's desk and know he wasn't an agent anymore. It was weird to not find Jimmy in autopsy with Ducky. It was weird to know see Agent Roberts's bullpen empty. The town police car slid to a stop in front of him. Ed opened the door and climbed out.
"Good evening Ed." Gibbs greeted.
"What are you doing in town Leroy?" Ed demanded.
"I brought my cousin Tony here to recover from surgery." Gibbs explained.
"Really Leroy? Your cousin Tony? I know that Willard's boy was Derrick. We were best friends in kindergarten before your old man ran him out-of-town. I know that Tony is that snotty overgrown bully on your team. I hope somebody shot that bastard." Ed replied.
"Look Ed I am just trying to protect Tony. He just had a lung transplant and somebody is out to kill him." Gibbs explained.
"you caused enough trouble on your last mission here. If you know what's good for you. You will pack your bags and be out of here by sunrise." Ed warned.
"Ed my son is in danger." Gibbs replied.
"My whole town is at risk with you here you freak!" Ed shouted.
"All I care about is my son and his family!' Gibbs barked.
"Your boy and those actors you hired better watch their backs!" Ed hissed before jumping back into his car and speeding away.
A/N: Will Tony and his family be safe or will Ed cause more trouble? New chapter soon. Please review and thanks for reading.