Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or its characters.
Time flies when your having fun...and when your not apparently! Apologies in the delay guys and no this isn't the last chapter after all...
Chapter 25
Having finished the interrogation of Admiral McGee, Gibbs realised he was far too wound up to visit with his brother for the evening so instead he had headed home to get Tim's temporary bedroom set up, calling Tony for help as he did so, only to regret that decision the moment he saw who was waiting for him when pulled into his drive way, sighing he turned off his cars ignition.
"Gibbs. Gibbs. Gibbs. Gibbs." Abby started the moment he opened his car door
"Abby" Gibbs greeted guardedly, as he held up a hand to indicate her to stop her ranting, asking the question he already had the answer to. "What are you doing here?"
"Why wouldn't I come here?" Abby questioned confused by Gibbs attitude, after all when one of them was in trouble this is where they were supposed to come, well her, Tony and Ziva anyways.
"Yeah well I not in the mood to deal with you right now Abby" Gibbs informed as he made his way on to his porch, smiling to himself and thankful, as he remembered his father tossing him the keys that morning.
"But Gibbs I need your help!" Abby pleaded from where she stood at the bottom of the steps
"If you're looking for help with Vance, you can forget it" Gibbs stated, wishing the happy memory wasn't being tarnished by what was currently happening, before he asked a question of his own, as he unlocked and open his front door. "Was there ever a time when you didn't lie to me when I punished Tim for mistakes he didn't make?"
When Abby didn't respond he knew he had his answer "Leave, just leave."
"But Gibbs….." Abby whined
"You heard the man" Tony's voice drifted into the conversation as he quickly rounded past her slipping in the door before he shut it "At least you can't go pinning the blame on Tim this time."
Abby stood on the porch way stunned at the way both of them had spoken to her, as she heard the lock click into place.
NCIS
"You don't have to stay Ziva" Tim reasoned, Tony had received a mysterious phone call, apologised telling them he had something he need to do, before disappearing, leaving Tim and Ziva alone.
"I know, but tonight was diarised as games night." Ziva reminded, smiling as she produce a game of Trivia for them to play.
"Err, its better when there's more than two players" Tim replied. For about the last year the younger agents and Jimmy, occasionally with Breena, had been gathering, once a month, for a fun evening playing board games as an alternative to watching videos.
"Are we late?" Jimmy asked as he and Breena walked in the door
"No, just about to start." Ziva informed as she continued to set up the board
"Great" Jimmy stated as he set the goodies he had snuck in onto the bedside cabinet.
Tim had to smile, as he shook his head, not only at Palmer enthusiasm but at the fact his friends were going to so much trouble, even bring him all his favourite types of snacks, even though he was pretty sure he wasn't supposed to be eating them right now, what with everything that had happened.
NCIS
"Thanks for coming Tony" Gibbs offered as he walked into the large room at the back of the house.
"Not a problem boss." Tony replied easily.
"So I thought we could set up Tim's bedroom in here temporarily until he can manage the stairs" Gibbs informed
Tony took a moment to look around the room he'd never been in before, looking over the large dining table, chairs, sideboard and display cabinet, with confusion. "Boss I thought your, lounge and dining room were an all in one, next to the kitchen
"Nope. Just didn't feel the need to use this room once Shannon died, so when Diane smashed up the kitchen I modify what was the kitchen come dining room to include the lounge."
"So this was originally the lounge?"
"Yep, moved the dinning furniture in here right after Diane left."
"You're lucky Diane didn't smash this furniture up too" Tony remarked
"Oh I think she would have if I hadn't have walked in when I did" Gibbs smirked.
"Okay, so what's the plan?" Tony questioned knowing he was properly going to regret it.
NCIS
Nearly two hours later Tony suck down on the coach exhausted by all the activity. "You know we could of asked the others to help, were is Ducky and Jackson anyhow?
"Shopping." Gibbs informed, as he heard the distinct rattling of keys turning in the door
"For two hours?" Tony questioned
"Well we had a lot to buy Tony" Jackson educated as he walk into the room laden with bags.
"We could have come out and helped Dad" Gibbs stated
"Speak for yourself" Tony muttered as he stretched his aching back, only to receive a head slap albeit a lot gentler than what he usually received
Jackson laughed "My boy been working you hard Tony?"
"You could say that"
"Bedroom furniture's all ordered Jethro" Ducky informed as he too entered the room laden with bags "Should be delivered in the morning"
"Thanks Duck" Gibbs replied, watching as his father disappeared back outside, but the nagging question he had need to be answered "Are you sure Tim's well enough to come out of hospital tomorrow, it's only been a five days?"
"He can rest as easily here as he can in hospital Jethro, better actually when you consider the noise factor." Ducky answered "He had recovered remarkably well, but he will mostly still be on bed rest, with limited allowances"
Gibbs smirked knowing the limited allowances was Ducky polite way of talking about his brother's need to use the bathroom "Good thing there's a bathroom on both levels…" just as he remembered what else needed doing, starting to get up again "which reminds me."
"Leave it for tonight, Jethro, Timothy won't be discharged until midmorning at the earliest" Ducky reminded
"Besides you need to eat" Jackson stated as he came back into the lounge this time with a bag from the local take out store just down the road.
NCIS
Morning came a lot quicker than Tim expected, Brad had already been in and informed him he was definitely being released from hospital, but with very heavy restrictions about what he was and wasn't allowed to do. One of the nurses had been in and helped him into some loose fitting clothing and now he nervously sat, a soft chair that had been brought into the room whilst waited on the others arrival.
"Good morning Tim" Jackson greeted as he enters the room, quickly followed by Gibbs pushing a wheelchair
"Thanks for holding the door dad" Gibbs states sarcastically before greeting Tim "Hey Tim"
"Hey, Leroy" Tim returns hesitantly, whilst try to hide his amusement at Jacksons antics
Jackson smiles, winking at Tim "Your welcome, Leroy!"
Gibbs rolled his eyes realising he'd been had, as he wagged his finger at his father's playfulness "Ready to leave Tim?"
"I guess" Tim replies with uncertainty
"Now, now I'm not having any of that Tim, were family and we take care of each other." Jackson informs
"I just don't want to be a burden" Tim answers
Gibbs squat down in front of him "You have never been a burden Tim and you never will be"
Standing up Gibbs manoeuvers himself into a position to help Tim into the wheelchair "Come on let's get you home."
"Okay" Tim reluctantly allows Gibbs to help him as he agrees, whilst Jackson holds the wheelchair steady proudly watching his two boys.
NCIS
"Hey Tim, think you can eat something?" Gibbs questioned as Tim slowly woke from his slumber
"Err yeah sure" Tim replies, the journey from the hospital to Gibbs house from the hospital had taken more out of him than he realised and Tim had quickly succumbed to sleep once he was situated in his new bed, carefully sitting up under Gibbs watchful eye, Tim is surprised as he finally takes the room's furnishing.
"This all looks new" Tim states as he looks around the room.
"That's because it is Timothy" Ducky informs as he arrives with a tray of hot food.
"You brought new furniture just for me?" Timothy questioned surprised
"Well if I had had the time I would have made it" Gibbs shrugged "It's not a big deal Tim"
"Yeah it is" Tim replies as he looks at the obviously homemade shepherd's pie set out on the tray now on his lap
"Why?" Jackson questioned from the doorway
"Because I can't afford it" Tim replies embarrassed
"Who said you need to pay for it?" Gibbs questioned as he sat on the edge of his brothers bed
"But….."
"No, no buts we're family and if it takes me repeating myself forever to get that message across then that's what I'm going to do." Gibbs interrupts
"Eat Timothy, after all you don't want to upset Zive" Ducky encourages.
"This is Ziva's cooking?" Tim asked with a small smile
"Yes it is, and she informed me it's your favourite so eat, then you can rest some more." Gibbs instructed, nodding Tim slowly eats, as all three older men watch with a smile.
NCIS
The knock on the door caused Ron Sacks to groan, not at the prospect of visitors but at the fact that it meant he had to get up to open the door, yet he'd been putting off getting up to get food for over an hour. When he did manage to get the door open he was surprised by who was standing there knowing who was being released from hospital and how having only been released from hospital himself two days ago, that the pair would be on his doorstep so soon.
"Tony, Ziva" Ron greeted stunned
"Surprise!" Tony greeted, as Ron noticed the casserole dish Ziva was holding
"A little thank you and apology" Ziva informed
"Apology?" Ron questioned surprised.
"Yeah man, with everything going on we sort of forgot about you and…" Tony voice trailed off as he indicated to Ron's heavily strapped leg and the crutches he was currently using.
"Well you'd better come in" Ron nodded in understanding as he beckon them in, whatever was in the dish smelt delicious and was making him hungry
NCIS
With Tim sleeping again, the older men retreated to the lounge, Gibbs question Ducky as he makes a fresh batch of drinks
"He's not sleeping too much is he Duck?"
"No Jethro, rest and sleep is what is needed right now, Timothy's own body will tell him what it needs and over the next few days and weeks, Timothy will slowly regain some equilibrium in regards to that, but you must also remember it is also a side effect from the low iron level he's experiencing"
"Is there anything we can do to help that?" Jackson questioned
"Plenty of iron rich food and vitamin C, is the answer to that, don't worry Ziva, Breena and I have it all in hand."
"Good to know, thanks Duck." Gibbs stated appreciatively
"Your welcome, now tell me Jethro what was the call you took earlier?"
Gibbs hung his head, he should have known Ducky would have notice him slipping out, from where he'd been watching Tim, when the call from Vance had come through.
"Vance told me two things actually. Not sure how legal did it so quickly but Tim's money is all his again and will officially be transferred into his account in the morning"
"And the second thing" Jackson questioned
"Abby quit NCIS this morning"