A/N Thanks for everyone's patience regarding the wait for this chapter! It's extra long to make up for no update last week. Real life and work have been horribly busy. Thanks for all the lovely reviews, they keep me going!

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Ducky sighed as the sound of the dial tone permeated his ear. Frowning, he handed Tony back his phone and sat down on the bed next to the younger man. He reached for the bottle of antibiotics on the table and was startled when Tony suddenly grabbed his arm. "Anthony!" The older man hollered and struggled to free his arm from Tony's grip.

"I'm not letting go until you tell me what that was all about."

Ducky huffed and tried once again to escape the clutches of Tony. Although the younger man was ill, nobody would have been able to tell by the strength with which he was holding Ducky's arm. Resigned to the fact this was a battle he wasn't going to win, Ducky cleared his throat and spoke, "You win, Anthony. I'll tell you what happened if you'll let go of my arm. You're squeezing too hard and my circulation is being cut off."

Tony released his grip and Ducky immediately rubbed his arm hoping to restore the blood flow. "Sorry, Ducky, sometimes I don't realize my own strength. I heard enough of your conversation with Gibbs to know that something's wrong." He yawned and shook his head, "My mind may be foggy because of all these drugs, but I can tell by your demeanor that you two had a disagreement."

Ducky knew it wasn't his place to tell Tony all of the malicious things Jack had said to Gibbs and decided a vague overview would have to do. Even though he'd seen Gibbs open up more to the entire team, he didn't feel it was right to share that kind of information. He picked up the bottle of antibiotics, unscrewed the cap and poured one into his hand. Handing Tony the medication along with a glass of water he sighed, "Take your pill my boy and then we can talk."Tony nodded, popped the pill in his mouth and took a hearty drink of water. Snuggling deeper into the pillows, Tony sighed in contentment when Ducky pulled the blankets up and tucked them in.

"You know I always appreciate you fussing over me Ducky, but I really want to know what happened between you and Gibbs."

Tony's eyes drooped as the effects of the medication began to kick in. He'd already had a dose of codeine and knew he would only have a few more minutes of consciousness. Ducky paternally ran his hand over Tony's forehead and brushed his hair off to the side. "You're burning up dear boy. I'll tell you what, how about you get some sleep and we'll discuss what happened between me and Jethro when you're feeling better."

"Oh no, no, no..." Tony rasped, fully opening his eyes, "I want to know now!"

"Very well then. You're right, Jethro and I did have a disagreement. He's not very happy with me right now for stating my opinion." He paused and took a deep breath before continuing, "Apparently Jack wasn't happy to hear that Jethro adopted Timothy and had hurtful words to say to both of them."

Tony felt his blood pressure rise as he thought about the fact that Jack had deliberately hurt his Tim and surrogate father. "What did he say?" He snapped, angrily wadding his fists in the sheets.

"I'm not sure how much of their conversation Jethro feels comfortable with me sharing, but I can tell you what caused our disagreement."

DiNozzo wasn't thrilled Ducky didn't want to share their conversation, but knew Gibbs was still a very private person. If Gibbs wanted to reveal what happened in Stillwater he would do so on his own terms. Tony didn't want to get Ducky in any more trouble than he already appeared to be in with Gibbs. Shrugging his shoulders he responded, "I'll take what I can get, Ducky."

The older man sighed, "Jethro told me one of the first questions Jack asked was how did he expect to raise a child at his age. I..." He paused as he thought of how to present his concern to Tony. Swallowing hard, he continued, "I told Jethro I could understand what his father was apprehensive about." Tony's eyes widened as Ducky carried on, "I'm not saying Jethro won't be the perfect father for Timothy. However, I am concerned that his age might affect his relationship with the little fellow once he starts getting older. Unfortunately, aging is a part of life..."

"Unless you've been given a regression drug like Timmy." Tony interrupted and raised his eyebrows a tad.

Ducky chuckled slightly, "Yep, you're exactly right Anthony. My point is, we are all human and no matter how hard we try, eventually our bodies begin to betray us. I wanted Jethro to be aware that as his body changes it will be difficult to keep up with a young boy."

"There's no way in hell the almighty and powerful Leroy Jethro Gibbs would allow a tiny thing like age keep him from doing activities with Timmy! Besides, if it ever got to that point, I'd be around to fill in if they needed me."

"Perhaps you're right Anthony. Jethro was already upset about his father and I shouldn't have brought up my concerns right then. I feel horrible about it and I'll try to give him a call tomorrow. To be honest I don't think he's had time to process everything that has happened today and needs time to contemplate the entire situation. Not necessarily what happened with me, but the confrontation with his father."

"I know Gibbs will appreciate that, Ducky. Boss knows you care, just remember it has been a tough week for all of us." Tony responded wearily as he fought to keep his eyes open. Ducky chuckled and patted the younger man's hand, "Get some rest my dear. I'll call later tonight to check on you. No more talking either, your throat needs time to rest too."

Tony grinned lazily and replied, "If I'm not supposed to talk, how will I be able to answer your call?"

Ducky playfully patted him on the cheek and stood up, "You won't even have to speak, Anthony. You can push buttons to let me know you're all right." The older man headed toward the bedroom door and turned around, "I'll lock up on my way out." When there was no response he chuckled, realizing Tony was already fast asleep.

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Gibbs angrily threw his phone down on the seat, an action he quickly regretted when an empty baby bottle ricocheted off the passenger side headrest and landed in the center console. Timmy erupted with laughter causing Gibbs to bite back a smile. Even though the sweet giggling of his son was a much-needed distraction from his conversation with Ducky, he needed to let Tim know that it wasn't okay to throw objects like that no matter how mad you become. He'd set a bad example and now it was his job to reinforce that behavior like that would not be tolerated. Gibbs didn't expect Tim to learn overnight and knew there would be plenty of bumps along the road. Shifting in his seat he picked up the discarded bottle and gave it back to Timmy. The little guy, appearing to know he was in trouble, attempted to hide behind it. Gibbs sighed and gently pushed the bottle down so he could see Tim's face. "I want you to know that even though Daddy was angry he shouldn't have thrown his phone like that. I'm not upset with you, but I do want you to know that's a no no." He patted Tim's knee and added, "There's plenty of ways of dealing with anger that I can teach you, kiddo."

"Sowry Dada." Tim whispered around the thumb that had crept into mouth.

Smiling warmly, Gibbs gave the toddler's knee a squeeze causing Tim to squirm and giggle with delight. "I think we're going to stay here tonight if they have room. You want to go inside and check it out?"

Tim nodded and returned his thumb to his mouth. After collecting his battered phone from the seat, Gibbs climbed out of the car and looked around. The sun setting in the horizon combined with acres and acres of undisturbed snow created a picturesque view that took his breath away. Reaching back into the car he grabbed the camera and proceeded to snap a few pictures. Staying at the bed and breakfast was going to be a new experience for both of them and he wanted pictures for Timmy's scrapbook. After taking a few he scooped Tim out of the car seat and sat him down on top of the trunk. Tim shrugged his shoulders and continued sucking his thumb as Gibbs stumbled around the car searching for the best angle for the picture. Once he found it he called out to Tim, "Hey buddy, can you take your thumb out of your mouth so Daddy can get a few photos?" Tim removed his thumb briefly, but it wasn't enough time for Gibbs to get a picture before he resumed sucking. Gibbs chuckled at his son's antics and continued snapping shots until he realized he had an audience.

Turning slowly, he smiled as an older couple stood watching; obviously getting a kick out of the show he was putting on. Gibbs guessed they were in their seventies and most likely the owners of the bed and breakfast. Gathering Tim in his arms he was worried about how his son would react to strangers but was pleasantly surprised when the youngster appeared perfectly content and comfortable around them.

"Oh, please excuse us." The older woman chuckled, "We saw your car pull into the driveway nearly twenty minutes ago, but you hadn't come inside so we thought we'd investigate and check to make sure everything was all right."

"Sorry about that, Ma'am." Gibbs huffed and ran his fingers through his hair before continuing, "We've had a rough day and we're looking for a place to stay tonight. I know it's last minute and I'm willing to pay double." He tightened his grip on Tim as snow flurries started falling from the sky. "I promise you won't even know we're here."

"Nonsense! Of course you two can stay, sweetheart!" The older woman extended her hand, "My name is Iris." Gibbs smiled and shook her hand, "That's a beautiful name."

"Thank you doll! Irises were my mother's favorite flower. Oh pardon me, where are my manners? You already know that I'm Iris and this is my husband, Ezra."

Ezra extended his rather large hand and Gibbs shook it firmly. "Nice to meet you, Ezra and Iris. My name is Leroy Jethro Gibbs but you can call me Gibbs and this little one is my son, Timothy." Tim blushed, gave them a tiny wave and immediately buried his face in the crook of Gibbs' neck.

"Aww Timothy is so precious! Do you have a lot of bags? We can help you bring them in!" Iris shivered, "I'm ready for winter to be over with and it just started! I think the temperature has dropped about ten degrees in the last hour. C'mon...let's get your bags and get you two inside where it's warm."

"Yeah, Timmy has already been outside enough already today. I'm afraid he's going to catch a cold."

"Well we don't want that now do we?" Iris smiled and softly pinched Tim's chubby cheeks. Ezra rolled his eyes, "Iris, perhaps you should ask his father before you go touching his baby!"

Iris huffed and turned to Gibbs, "I apologize, I should have asked you if it was okay before I touched your son. I know with germs and what not it's important that they don't spread to Timothy."

"Are you sick?"

"Well no, but I know how susceptible the little ones can be to even the slightest germs. We try to keep the house spotless, but with people coming and going you never know what kind of germs get left behind. You're in luck though because I had my maid do a full scrub down this afternoon."

Gibbs nodded, "Good to know although it's no different than Timmy being exposed at daycare or the supermarket. Actually..." Gibbs paused when he remembered Tony had been diagnosed with bronchitis and possibly could have passed the cold virus on to Tim a few days ago at the funeral.

"It's possible he's already been infected with a cold. One of our friends has the onset of bronchitis and from what I remember it's contagious. I'll cross my fingers that he didn't become infected with it."

Between the three adults they managed to haul all the bags out of the car and into the house. The two Gibbs' stood in awe at the wonderful craftsmanship and details that had been put into the house. The first thing Gibbs noticed was the grand staircase, which he assumed led up to the bedrooms. The foyer had very high cathedral ceilings and was painted a very calming shade of pale green. The floors were all wood and there were very large area rugs strategically placed all over the downstairs to add splashes of color.

"You have a beautiful home." Gibbs stated as he continued to admire the woodwork and overall ambience of the bed and breakfast.

Ezra replied proudly, "Thanks, we've put a lot of work and money into it these past thirty years and are very happy with the outcome. We have pictures in the dining room of the transformation that's taken place starting with the time we bought it."

Iris had disappeared and returned with a younger gentleman, "This is Danny." She patted his shoulder gently, "He's our maintenance/groundskeeper/bellhop." She chuckled and continued, "He'll help you take your bags upstairs when you're ready. Let me give you a quick tour and then you can go freshen up. Dinner should be ready in half an hour."

She motioned for Gibbs to follow her into a room left of the foyer. The room was painted beige and had a huge oriental rug covering most of the floor. Off to one side was a piano while the other side had a huge bookcase overflowing with books. A couch and a few plush chairs finished off the room. Tim tugged on his Daddy's coat and pointed to the piano. "Winkle, winkle Dada?" Gibbs laughed, "It's been a long time since I've played the piano, Timmy. Maybe after we eat we can try and play Twinkle,Twinkle."

"Oh my gosh, I know I've said this before, but Timothy is adorable! Those beautiful green eyes and chubby cheeks make me want to eat him up! We'd be happy if you play the piano, that's what it's there for. After dinner entertainment is always welcomed! This is what I like to call the library. Most of our guests come down here and use their computers or heaven forbid read a book. You also have the option of having a cocktail before or after dinner and we'll serve them in here."

Tim started to squirm and whine, obviously wanting down after being cooped up for most of the day. Iris noticed and apologized, "I'm blabbering on and on when it's clear Timothy is in need of something." Gibbs smiled, "Probably a diaper change and a chance to stretch his legs."

Iris nodded, "Poor kiddo. Listen..." She pointed through the library to a second room where Gibbs could see a very long table. "That's the dining room where we'll serve dinner tonight. Why don't I have Danny show you to your room and you can relax for a few minutes? We'll announce when dinner is on the table." She paused and looked at Tim, "It's been a long time since we've had any toddlers staying here. Anything special he'd like for dinner?"

Gibbs took off Tim's hat and ran his fingers through his bedraggled hair. "This little guy will practically eat anything. I guess I'm lucky so far in that sense. As long as he has a bottle of warm milk he'll be happy. Although he hasn't had a lot today so I'm sure he's plenty hungry."

Tim's tummy growled causing everyone to laugh. Iris gently poked it and cooed, " Poor baby! I'll look through the refrigerator and see what I can find for him. We don't want him starving while we're waiting for dinner to finish. One of us will bring it up to your room. I'm making my specialty; meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn, salad and fresh blueberry pie for dessert. You think Timmy will be okay with that meal?"

"Oh yeah! Please don't go through any extra trouble on our account. We can adapt. Right Timmy?" The youngster squirmed again and Gibbs took that as his cue. "I better get his diaper changed and freshen up before dinner."

"Yes, of course."

Danny grabbed the suitcase and proceeded up the stairs, "Which room do you have them staying in?"

"The Roosevelt Suite."

The younger man nodded and motioned for Gibbs to follow him up the long and winding staircase. When they reached the top, Gibbs gave a breathy laugh, "I bet you get plenty of exercise around here doing these stairs numerous times each day."

"Keeps me in shape, especially when I'm lugging suitcases and bags." They turned a corner and Danny pointed to a room at the very end of a long hallway. "That's your room up ahead. I think it's the best room in the house. Great view and it tends to be a bit quieter back here than the other rooms."

They walked into a very large bedroom with an en suite bathroom. The room was painted a very soothing blue with white trim. A queen size bed was pushed up against one wall with end tables adorning each side. A dresser with a television propped up top sat opposite of the bed. Gibbs was happy to see carpeting and a large area that would allow Tim room to explore. He was also relieved to see the bathroom had a tub/shower combination rather than just a shower. Danny propped the suitcase against the dresser and sighed, "Now you know why I think it's the best room in the house."

Gibbs nodded slightly, "It's very nice." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tip and handed it to the younger man, "Thanks for helping me with the luggage."

"No problem. I'm going to give you some privacy."

Once Danny exited, shutting the door behind him, Gibbs set Tim down on the bed and lay down beside him. Tim eagerly and energetically crawled up and down the bed, excited to move on his own accord rather than being carried or in a car seat. Gibbs hadn't realized how exhausted he'd become until he was off his feet and his head hit the pillow. He felt as though a Mack truck had hit him. The stress of first dealing with his Dad and then Ducky was wearing him down. All he wanted to do was curl up and take a nap but with the energy Tim needed to express that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. Besides it was too close to dinnertime and they both needed to eat. He figured they would call it an early night; come back to the room, get Timmy a bath and relax by watching some television.

He smiled, watching Tim crawl back and forth on the bed. Before he knew he was fighting to stay awake, occasionally nodding off until Tim noticed and climbed up on his chest. Gibbs inhaled sharply as Tim's knee dug into his gut. "Hey sweetie!" He cooed pressing a kiss to Tim's forehead and wrapping his arms around his tiny body as the youngster lay down. Gently patting Tim's bottom he praised him, "You've been such a good boy for Daddy today, son. I'm really, really proud of you kiddo." Tim snuffled and snuggled deeper into Gibbs' chest until there was a knock on the door.

"One moment, please." Gibbs goraned as he sat up and swung his legs around the side of the bed. Situating the toddler in his arms he went to the door and opened it. Iris was standing there with a container of strawberry yogurt and a spoon. "I thought this would help hold him over until it is time for dinner."

Tim's eyes widened and he clapped his hands when he saw the container. Both adults laughed before Gibbs took the yogurt and replied, "I think you just made someone very happy. I don't think it will take him too long before he devours this. Thank you for your generosity."

"It's no problem at all. Are you finding everything you might need? There are fresh towels in the bathroom and extra blankets in the closet. If you need anything else you just let me know. Dinner will be on the table in the next twenty minutes so feel free to come down whenever you're ready."

Gibbs smiled appreciatively and turned back into the room, "Thank you. I think we have everything we need, but I'll let you know if I discover otherwise."

Iris nodded and hurried back toward the stairs as Gibbs closed the door and walked back to the bed. "I know you're hungry, kiddo, but before we do anything you need a diaper change." Tim whined briefly as Gibbs laid him on the bed but hushed when the older man started humming. Quickly finding all the supplies he needed, Gibbs went to work changing Tim's sodden diaper. He grimaced when he noticed a slight rash forming and dug back into the diaper bag for some cream. Tim whimpered as Gibbs rubbed the cream along his bottom and struggled to get free from his grip. "I'm sorry, sweetie. Daddy waited too long to change you and if I don't put any cream on it now it's only going to get worse." He gently patted the little guy's tummy in an attempt to soothe him and before Tim realized it, he was done. After taping the diaper back up he tugged Tim's jeans on and stopped dead in his tracks when the toddler coughed harshly. Cringing, he laid his hand on Timmy's forehead to check for a fever. "You feel all right, sweetie?"

Tim shrugged his shoulders and extended his arms, wanting to sit up. Gibbs' mind whirled as he pulled Tim into a sitting position. He really hoped his baby hadn't caught a cold from Tony. He chuckled at his paranoia; it was possible that Tim's cough was simply just a cough. This was the first time he'd heard Tim cough all day and prayed it would be the last time. Even though he'd had a disagreement with Ducky there was nobody he trusted more than the older man to examine and treat him. Peeling the lid off the yogurt container he scooped some up with the spoon and deposited it in the toddler's awaiting mouth. Tim bounced in delight and before he swallowed the first spoonful was mumbling for more. Gibbs continued feeding Tim and while it was on his mind pulled out his phone to call Vance. After briefly telling the Director about his day he broke the news of Tony's bronchitis. Vance understood that Tony needed rest and told Gibbs that Abby and Ziva would be helping other teams until the Senior Field Agent returned. By the time the two men had finished their conversation, Gibbs was scooping the last bit of yogurt into Tim's mouth. Grabbing a wipe he thoroughly cleaned his son's face and glanced at his watch. Knowing dinner would be ready soon he gathered up Tim's empty baby bottles and stuffed a bib in his back pocket. Juggling the bottles in one hand he grabbed hold of Timmy and hoisted him into his arms. Once he had a tight enough grip for the long trek downstairs he allowed Tim to shut off the light and managed to barely close the door. Ezra was on his way upstairs as the two descended and the older man looked relieved he wouldn't have to climb all the way up. He motioned to the two bottles in Gibbs' hand and asked, "Would you like me to take those and clean them out?"

"If you could take them that would be great, but I couldn't ask you to wash them out. Do you think Iris would mind if I did it?"

Ezra chuckled, "Good luck with that! She loves having a baby here and I'm fairly certain she'd tell you to give them to her to take care of. You two are our guests and it's really not that big of a deal."

"It's not your responsibility to wash my son's bottles. I'd feel a lot better if she allowed me to do it."

"Allow you to do what?" Iris questioned, raising her eyebrows slightly as the trio reached the bottom of the stairs.

The older man held up the bottles and sighed, "Gibbs would like to wash these out, but I told him he'd have to duke it out with you first."

"Listen to Ezra. I'm as stubborn as a mule and once I get my mind set on something there's no stopping me. Besides, dinner is on the table and you and Timmy need to eat while it's hot." Gibbs realized there was no way he was going to win this argument and subtly admitted defeat. When they walked into the dining room he was surprised to see the table was only set for four people. He assumed there were other guests but by the number of place settings that appeared not to be the case. The dinner looked and smelled delicious and Gibbs suddenly realized how hungry he was. Even though the dinner smelled great, there was another smell that was strong enough to overpower all the rest and that was coffee.

"Take a seat." Ezra stated, motioning to a chair at the end of the table. Gibbs nodded; pulled the bib out of his back pocket and shook it out. Taking a seat, he placed Tim in his lap and sighed in contentment when Iris entered with a bottle full of milk and a pot of coffee. The older woman laughed when she saw Gibbs' expression and proceeded to pour him a cup. After she handed the bottle to him and said, "I remembered you told me Timmy likes warm milk so I took the liberty of heating it up. You'll have to test it and make sure it's not too hot for the little guy." She sighed and fussed with the tablecloth before adding,"I hope the seating arrangements are okay, I thought we might have an old highchair but unfortunately that wasn't the case."

"Please don't worry about it. In fact, Timmy likes to sit on my lap at home a lot too." He tied the bib around Tim's neck and continued, "I hope you don't mind if he uses his fingers."

"Of course not. Whatever makes it easiest for him, hon."

Once the food was passed around the table and everyone was served, Gibbs and Timmy dug in with gusto. It had been a long cold day for both of them and they were excited to get warm food in their stomachs. Gibbs was curious as to how much Tim would eat since he'd had yogurt right before, but the little guy only left a few bites on his plate. While they ate they talked about the bed and breakfast and explained the winter season was their slow time except for the holidays. Gibbs figured that was the explanation for being the only guests and was relieved that Timmy could play without the worry of bothering anyone. After they were stuffed to the gills and finished with dinner, Timmy was whining to be put down. Iris noticed and motioned to the library. "Take him in there and allow him to let off some steam, while we clean up. Would you like a refill on your coffee?"

All it took was one look at Gibbs' weary face and Iris knew the answer to her own question. She patted his shoulder in reassurance, "Take Timmy in the other room and relax!"

Gibbs glanced at his watch to check the time. It was only 6:30 and still a little early to start getting Tim ready for bed although he was sure both of them would be asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow. Plus, he felt it would be rude to retreat upstairs immediately after dinner. Especially since they'd gone out of their way to make them feel welcome.

"Actually, I have some toys of his upstairs, would you mind holding him for a moment while I run to get them?"

"I would love to!" Iris exclaimed happily, picking Tim up and positioning him on her hip. Gibbs was unsure of how Tim would do with the older woman, but he didn't appear to mind. It was obvious his son knew good people when he saw them.

"Daddy will be right back, kiddo. I'm going to run upstairs and get some of your toys."

While Gibbs ran upstairs, Iris cherished the moments she was able to hold Timmy. Instead of standing stationary she walked through the house showing him each different room and when she heard Gibbs descend the stairs she stopped in the library and deposited him on the rug. Pouring the bag of toys on the floor, Gibbs grabbed his coffee from the dining room, took a seat in an overstuffed chair and picked up a newspaper from one of the end tables. Occasionally he would glance up from behind the paper to make sure Tim was still playing nicely and was enjoying a peaceful evening. Soon Iris appeared in the doorway holding a plate with a slice of pie and a fresh pot of coffee. Gibbs graciously accepted the delectable looking treat and nodded his thanks as Iris warmed up his coffee. She returned with her own slice and mug and took a seat on the couch next to him.

"This pie is delicious, Iris!" Gibbs mumbled through a mouthful of blueberries and slowly swallowed. Taking a sip of coffee he sputtered, "I'm sorry. Where are my manners?"

"Don't worry about it. You look exhausted young man! I haven't gotten to ask you what you're doing in Pennsylvania. Obviously you don't live too close by."

Gibbs shook his head, "No Ma'am, we live in Virginia about twenty miles away from Washington, D.C." It's about a four-hour drive from here. I actually grew up in Stillwater and we originally came to visit my father."

"Oh, yes, Stillwater doesn't have any hotels or B&B's do they? What do you mean your originally came to visit with your dad? Did you not get to see him?"

The younger man huffed and took another sip of coffee. He was silent for a moment and unable to make eye contact with Iris he focused his gaze on Tim. Iris realized Gibbs' father was a touchy subject and immediately began to apologize. "I'm so sorry. Forget I even asked about him. It's none of my business."

"Don't worry about it." There was silence between the two while they finished their pie. As he thought about the argument with Jack he realized it might be good to discuss it with someone who didn't know either of them. There was no way in hell he was going to see a psychologist and Iris might have some advice. He wouldn't go into great details because quite frankly it still hurt too much to reveal the malicious things his father said.

Clearing his throat, he started off slowly, "As you may or may not have guessed, Tim is not my biological child. He's been in my care for the past month and yesterday I signed the adoption papers to make him legally mine. I hadn't told my father about me becoming a father and when we showed up in Stillwater he was a little less than supportive about my decision."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, hon!" Iris frowned and supportively patted his knee.

Gibbs smiled wearily and took another sip of coffee. Checking to make sure Tim was okay he continued, "We were supposed to stay with him for the weekend so he could get to know his new grandson but we had an argument which ultimately led us here for the night." He paused and continued, "Do you think I'm too old to be a father?"

Iris shook her head, "No, sweetie I don't. It's apparent that you love Tim with every fiber of your being and I see the sparkle in his eyes when he's with you. Age is only a number and as long as the people in that relationship or family or whatever the case may be love each other then it shouldn't matter. From what I can tell you're going to be a wonderful father to that little boy who already sees you as his hero!"

Inhaling sharply, Gibbs smiled as Iris' words sank in. He needed to accept the fact that no matter how many people doubted him, as long as he was there for Timmy that's all that mattered. Leaning his head back against the chair he sighed, "What do you think I should do about my father? I really want him to be a part of Tim's life, but after what he said to me that's just not possible unless he apologizes. Even if he apologizes it doesn't mean everything is going to be fine right away."

"Let me tell you a little story my dear. I have a daughter who got pregnant at the age of sixteen. When I found out she was, I lost my cool and we both said some very hurtful things to one another. She ended moving out and living with her boyfriend and to this day I have..." Iris' voice cracked as she fought back tears and Gibbs reassuringly squeezed her hand.

"Take your time."

Sniffling, she nodded, cleared her throat and continued, "To this day I have no idea where my baby is or how many children she has and if she's okay. I even hired a private investigator to try and find her but he had no luck. My point is I would give anything to hold my baby in my arms and tell her I'm sorry for what happened. Life is too short not to forgive, Gibbs and when the time comes I hope you'll eventually be able to forgive your father. Take it from me; I'm sure your dad is feeling just as horrible as you right now."

They both sat in silence with their own thoughts until the loud banging of piano keys caught their attention. Gibbs' eyes popped open and he turned his head toward the piano. Timmy had managed to pull himself up using the bench and while wobbling back and forth was banging on the keys. Launching himself from the chair, Gibbs scooped Tim up in his arms and planted kisses all over his face, "What do you think you're doing young man? I bet you're trying to play "Twinkle, Twinkle", aren't you?"

Tim giggled hysterically as his Daddy smothered him with kisses. He was proud of himself for crawling to the piano unnoticed and to stand up and start playing was icing on the cake. Gibbs sat down on the bench and placed Tim in his lap. Tim immediately started pounding the keys and singing, "Winkle winkle wittle sar..." Gibbs joined in and continued the rest of the song. Iris clapped when they finished and exclaimed, "Yay! That was amazing, Timmy!"

"Tank u!"

Tim yawned and Gibbs glanced down at his watch. It was close to 8pm and by the time he got Tim bathed and ready for bed it would be close to 9. He made a promise to the youngster that he'd buy him a keyboard when they got home and he looked forward to many more renditions of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."

The older woman began collecting the plates and said, "Would you like one more coffee to take up to your room? How about a bottle for Timmy?"

"That would be great, thanks! I also wanted to thank you for your advice; you've given me good points to consider. I do hope you find your daughter and are able to have reconciliation. What is her name?"

"That's awfully nice of you, hon. I'm glad I could help and try and remember what I said about your dad. We all make mistakes and sometimes say things we don't mean. Her name is Andrea...Andrea Klein. Now, why don't you take the precious baby boy upstairs and get ready for bed and I'll have Danny bring your coffee and bottle. Leave the toys for now and you can get them in the morning before you leave."

Gibbs opened his mouth to argue, but the look on Iris' face warned him to shut his mouth. "Good night and thanks for your hospitality! We've really enjoyed ourselves thus far."

Iris gave Timmy a kiss on the cheek and gently patted his back, "You be a good boy for Daddy, sweetie and we'll see you in the morning."

The toddler stuck his thumb in his mouth and laid his head down on Gibbs' shoulder as they ascended the stairs back to their room. Once they entered, Gibbs made quick work of Tim's bath, as they were both exhausted and ready for bed. Danny appeared with the bottle and coffee and Gibbs thank him profusely. The two cuddled in bed, watching television while Tim nursed on the bottle. He made it halfway through before he fell asleep. Extracting Tim from his arms he placed the bottle on the night stand and pulled up the

comforter. The last thought he had was to use his resources to try and locate Iris and Ezra's daughter.

XXX

The next morning Gibbs awoke with a start and his gut was churning. Tim was still asleep and he noticed the message light on his phone was blinking. Carefully retrieving it from the table he flipped it open to reveal numerous missed calls from an unknown number as well as several from Tony, Ziva and Abby. His heart started racing and his hand shook as he pressed the button for DiNozzo. The phone rang numerous times before the younger man answered.

"Hey Boss." The voice on the other end was almost unrecognizable and Gibbs mentally admonished himself for calling the sick agent.

"What the hell is going on, DiNozzo? I wake up this morning and I have several missed calls from my entire team! Not to mention the calls from an unfamiliar number. "

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