Section 47

"Where's McGee?" Jethro asked after Tony excused himself to go upstairs. Having heard the door, Zuma came racing to the kitchen and jumped happily at Gibbs' knees. Then he raced back to the foot of the stairs and barked up at Tony. "Easy, Zuma. Come on. He'll be back." With one last bark, Zuma laid down to wait. "Good boy. Dad?"

Jackson took a sip of his coffee and motioned to the fresh pot. "He had some errands he needed to run."

Jethro eyed his father closely as he took a sip of his own coffee. "McGee didn't just stop by to bring donuts. Did he leave anything for me?"

"No."

"Do I really have to interrogate my own father?"

"Can I watch?" Tony carried Zuma into the room. "Why are you interrogating Jackson? Did he hide the coffee?"

"He let McGee leave."

"Without reporting? Bad form. I thought I trained him better than that." Tony smiled at Jackson. "McDonutBoy came for something other than to bring donuts. It had to be bad for him to bring muffins, too." Tony shared a quick glance with Jethro.

"Oh, I don't think he left without reporting."

"But, we were out… Jackson, you took his report? Shame on…" At the look on Jackson's face, Tony dropped his teasing. "What is it? What did McGee say?"

"You might as well spill it, Dad. Or would you rather I have Tony call his cell?"

"McGee was going to wait but I told him I'd tell you." Jackson set his cup on the counter. "Should have let him stay."

"Is it Senior?"

"No, it's nothing to do with that man." Jackson reach out to rub Tony's shoulder comfortingly, but focused on Jethro. "He said he'd checked everything and that neither that man nor that woman had anything to do with Tony's citizenship issues."

"Looks like your gut was right again."

"Tony…"

"Stop, Jethro. That day in Arlington we both knew it. It's not Senior's style. He likes to push the buttons in person. Jeanne prefers…preferred to work behind the scene but with a more vicious outcome. I'm surprised she didn't hire a hitman." Tony hugged Zuma. "It was a long shot from the word go. We knew that."

"We'll find them."

"We will. The best team NCIS has is working on it. I just… I hate not knowing."

Putting down his cup, Jethro stepped forward and gently placed his arms around Tony and the pup who howled in outrage at being trapped between the two men.

"Here." Jackson deftly removed the pup and carried him whining into the other room. Hush. They need a little time to themselves. Why don't we see where Leroy put your bone?"

"Jethro." Tony left himself melt into his arms. "What do we do now?"

"We start at the beginning." Jethro turned into Gibbs for a minute. "Team dinner at 6. Everyone. Whoever's out there could act at any minute. I want to know who and I want to know why."

"It's Saturday. What if they have plans?" Tony felt that head slap might have partly been deserved. "Right, team meeting. I'm on it! Should they bring anything?"

"We'll take care of it. Get your jacket and I'll meet you at the car after I tell dad where we're going."

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" That head slap wasn't deserved Tony mumbled as McGee picked up his call. "McGee! Team meeting, six pm."

Gibbs could hear Tony speaking as he bounded up the stairs. Entering the front room, he found Jackson snoozing in the recliner while Zuma chewed contentedly on a bone in his lap. "You shouldn't be on the furniture." He told the pup who looked up at him with a smirk.

"Technically, he is on my lap not the furniture." Jackson said without opening his eyes.

"You and Tony are spoiling him."

"And?" Jackson looked up at his son with a grin.

Deciding this was a battle that he didn't want to fight right now, he simply ignored the comment. "Tony and I are going to the store for a few things. We're having a team meeting at six."

"You want me to make myself scarce, Leroy?"

"You're part of Tony's team, aren't you?" Jethro countered. "We'll be back in a couple hours." He heard Tony bounding down the stairs and letting himself out, still talking on his cell phone. He headed for the door, adding as he shut the door behind himself. "Don't let the pup destroy the house."

Section 48

Shopping with Jethro was definitely an experience. Unlike the trip earlier in the week, Jethro wasn't re-enacting the invasion of Normandy. Their first stop hadn't been to pick up dinner supplies; the reason for the trip Jethro explained. Instead Tony found himself outside an exquisite baby boutique in Alexandria. He paused to admire the potted cherry trees framing the display window. "Uh, Jethro. Regardless of what you told the team, you do know that I'm not pregnant, right?" His thank-you for the slap was automatic.

"If I remember correctly, Mr. Palmer asked you to serve as Victoria's god-father and I believe, therefore, you are required to spoil her somewhat."

Tony's face lit up and he surprised him and Jethro by giving him a quick kiss. "You are the best! Come on, we have shopping to do." Jethro found himself towed in the wake of hurricane Tony.

Jethro found watching Tony shop for Victoria interesting. In spite of his Armani addiction, eschewed the extravagant silver plated baby items and instead made a beeline for the stuffed animals, arranged among the baby furniture. Each was picked up and hugged to see if it met Tony's standard. It had to be soft but not floppy. Substantial enough to cuddle but not hard. Finally, he narrowed the choices to a traditional teddy bear in a soft honey gold with a pink bow, a plush lamb that begged to be curled into and unbelievably a dog that bore an uncanny resemblance to Zuma.

"I can't choose." Tony moaned.

Jethro took the lamb and popped it in a shopping basket he had grabbed. "From Uncle Tony." He grabbed the bear. "From Uncle Jethro." Taking the last animal, he added it. "From Great-Uncle Jackson".

Tony laughed. This was a side of Jethro he hadn't seen before. "Not from Zuma?" He wandered further into the store and stopped at a rack of elaborate newborn dresses. Unable to help himself he found himself selecting several of the frilly creations. As he turned towards the counter, it took his breath. "Jethro?"

Jethro followed his gaze to the Victorian style dollhouse on the display by the counter. He joined Tony in looking over the house. Touching it gently, he evaluated the quality of wood. "You know she won't be able to play with it for a couple years."

"I know but…" Tony was mesmerized.

"Fairly good quality." Jethro ignored the sales lady's indignant look. "You know what, this might be a good project for the new workshop." Tony turned his head to look at him. "Between, you, me and dad, we could make something pretty special. Could design it to look like this or maybe like our new home. That is, if you want to."

"I'd like that." Tony was thrilled by the reference to a home of their own and the thought of working with Jackson and Jethro. He floated in a daze while Jethro handed over their shopping basket and they argued who would pay. Tony won by calling godfather's privilege.

Throughout the shopping trip, the two argued good-naturedly over which steaks to get. Tony arguing for rib eye against Jethro's choice of Porterhouse. It wasn't any surprise that they ended up with the porterhouse.

"You know, they wouldn't mind hot dogs and hamburgers or pizza." Tony remarked as they moved on to choose the side dishes.

"It's our first time hosting dinner. I would mind."

Yep. There went that warm feeling in Tony's stomach again. It lasted until Jethro picked up a head of iceberg lettuce. It was fun to argue over the different lettuces, tomatoes and various vegetables. Finally, done at the grocers, they made one last stop at a beverage center for bags of ice and a variety of drinks.