FAMILY PORTRAIT, FAMILY SHADOWs

CHAPTER 15

Tony opened the door to his children running in, focused on mommy. "Hey! Hey, let's..." he started in grumpy mode, but changed his tone quickly at the glare from Abby. "Let's... let mommy sit down, then you can jump on her all you want." Another glare from Abby had him shrugging and mouthing "what?" As he turned to join Abby and the kids, he invited Gibbs and Ziva in. Until Gibbs dragged him outside by the collar. "O-kay, you're not staying, got it."

Gibbs proceeded to tell Tony about the stranger in the park, and what they're doing about it. Tony was concerned and was about to run in and tell Abby when Gibbs stopped him again. "Do. Not. Tell. Abby. About this," he ordered with his famous glare.

"Don't tell...? But boss..."

"Not a word, DiNozzo. She's been through enough this week, she doesn't need to be worrying about this." Seeing Tony's indecision, he assured him, "we got this. We'll take care of strangers. You keep an eye out and take care of your wife and kids."

Tony gave in. He knows his team, his family, have his six. "Okay, I won't say anything, but keep me in the loop, huh? Everything you find out... let me know."

Gibbs straightened out Tony's shirt. He knew Abby would notice wrinkles. "Roger that. Go hug your family. "Commence hugging. Gotcha, boss." Tony watched as Gibbs got back in the car with Ziva and pulled away. He talked to himself on his way back in. "Don't tell? Abby can smell a secret a mile away." He got to the living room door, watching Abby and the kids playing and laughing. He sighed. "I'm a dead man." He put on a smile and joined his family.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Later that night, after everyone had gone to bed, something woke Kaity. She was a little confused when she first opened her eyes, until she remembered she was back home, not at grandpa's. She looked around, wondering what could have woken her. It wasn't anything scary. Then she heard what had woken her. Daddy's snoring! She giggled, realizing how comfortable the sound really was. Especially this particular snore. Mommy called it his "A-OK" snore, meaning there wasn't anything wrong happening at home or at work that was bothering him. He had a totally different snore when the team had a case.

Kaity stretched, preparing to go back to sleep when her feet bumped into something. Looking closer, she saw it was someone. Daddy. He was sleeping sitting up at the bottom of her bed, his head resting on the bedpost. He didn't look very comfortable, sleeping like that. She got up and went to him, tried to move him so he was lying down, but he was too heavy. "Too much of mommy's good cooking," grandpa would say, and she giggled again. "Daddy...dad...DADDY!" He still slept. Well, there was one thing that always wakes him up. "DINOZZO!" she called out like Gibbs.

With a choked snore, Tony startled awake. "Not sleeping, boss!" When his heartbeat returned to normal, he heard a little giggle and looked around the room, realizing where he was. "Oh... heh heh...thought you were the boss. I mean, grandpa."

"I know," Kaity said with a laugh. "It was the only way to wake you up, cuz you were too heavy for me to move." She looked at him, confused. "How come you sleeping on my bed?"

Tony blushed. "Didn't mean to fall asleep," he said, standing up, watching as the little girl ran and got in bed, as far away from him as possible. "I was just watching you sleep."

'Daddy's losing it,' Kaity thought to herself. "How come?"

How to explain it to a child, he wondered as he stretched. "Well... it's kinda' something parents do once in a while because they love their children so much. Maybe it's a brand-new baby, and you want to make sure it's safe. Maybe a child's been sick and we're worried, maybe they can't believe their baby just graduated kindergarten and is headed for the first grade," he smiled at Kaity. "Or maybe, parents have been busy at work, or haven't seen their child in a long time," Tony said softly, "and they've missed them very much." He saw Kaity look down like she was embarrassed. "But mostly, we love our children so much, and we can't believe this precious thing is ours." He shifted his feet. "I didn't mean to fall asleep. It's just been a long day, and your bed is very comfortable," he teased, happy when the little girl giggled again. "Well...g'night, sweet Kait." He thought about giving her a kiss, but settled for blowing her one instead as he left the room.

"Night daddy," a sweet little voice called out as Tony shut the door and headed for his own bedroom.