A/N Hello Everyone! Although it's been a while since I last updated, I wanted to let you know that I haven't abandoned this story. I've been dealing with some personal issues that have made it difficult to write. Hopefully the updates will be a bit more frequent and because I made you wait, this chapter is extra long. I hope you enjoy and thanks for being so patient!

XXX

It was an overwhelming sense of cold that awakened Gibbs on Christmas morning. Slowly opening his eyes, he groaned and buried his face in the pillow as the sunlight filtering through the blinds glimmered in his face. Once his eyes adjusted to the light he slowly sat up and looked around. It was then that he realized why he'd been freezing for most of the night. Timmy was splayed out on the bed next to him, cozied up in what appeared to be mountains of fabric. In addition to the toddler stealing all the covers he'd also taken over most of the bed. One roll in the wrong direction and Gibbs would have fallen off the bed entirely. Sighing inwardly he shivered, knowing the only way to warm up was a hot shower. Tiptoeing into the bathroom he turned the water on, stripped down and stepped into the shower. It didn't take long for the chill to dissipate as the hot water pulsated over his body. As he washed his hair and the rest of his body he thought about the chores he needed to accomplish before Timmy woke up. There were dishes leftover from last night that needed to be washed, a turkey to clean and most importantly Santa's visit. After rinsing off he wrapped a towel around his waist and stepped out of the shower. Once he'd finished the rest of his routine he popped his head into the bedroom, relieved to find Tim still asleep. Dressing in a pair of worn out jeans and sweatshirt he turned the baby monitor on and padded downstairs. Jet stretched lazily as he climbed off his bed and met Gibbs at the bottom of the stairs.

"Hey, buddy, Merry Christmas!" The canine yawned loudly, causing Gibbs to chuckle as he leaned down to rub his ears. "Good to know I'm not the only one who's not awake yet." Jet barked, following Gibbs into the kitchen where he parked himself in front of the back door. The older man sighed, reaching for the bag of coffee, "Give me a moment, Jet." Once he started a pot of coffee he proceeded toward the door as Jet excitedly got to his feet and started spinning in circles.

"Okay, here we go, boy."

The cold air took Gibbs' breath away as he opened the door. Suddenly Jet wanted nothing to do with going outside. "Go dog!" Gibbs ordered, practically pushing the canine outside. Jet whimpered as he was pushed out into the cold, tail quivering between his legs. "Hurry up and do your business. Then you can come back inside." Gibbs shivered, slamming the door shut to block the onslaught of blowing snow and wind. He peeked out the window to check on Jet; satisfied he was taking care of business he opened the basement door to grab a few of the larger gifts he'd hidden. One of those gifts was a large keyboard; although not quite a piano it would suffice until Tim was older. The added bonus with the keyboard was that it could be attached to a stand as Tim started growing. Tucking it under his arm he moved toward the family room, stopping in his tracks when he heard Jet barking at the back door. Not wanting the dog to wake the rest of the neighborhood, including his son, he lunged for the door handle and flung it open. Jet came bounding inside, shaking the excess snow off his thick fur coat. Gibbs listened carefully to the baby monitor hoping that Tim was so exhausted the dog's barking hadn't woke him. When there were no sounds of a disgruntled baby he continued into the family room.

His excitement grew as he flipped on the Christmas tree lights and leaned the keyboard against the wall. Returning to the kitchen he climbed down the basement steps for the last big gift he'd bought for Timmy. Grabbing the Radio Flyer wagon he'd assembled earlier in the week he hauled it upstairs. Once the wagon was situated in the family room he built a fire with logs and kindling and then lit it. The scene was set for a magical Christmas morning for the two of them. Knowing it wouldn't be long before Timmy was awake he returned to the kitchen, preheated the oven and gathered the dough from the refrigerator to make cinnamon rolls. The pastries had been a longstanding Gibbs family tradition on Christmas morning and he was excited to continue it with Tim. The smell of cinnamon always brought back memories of him at age six, standing in his pajamas in the kitchen, anxiously waiting for the timer to go off.

After the dough was separated, individual rolls were placed in a pan and into the oven to bake. Still in need of his morning caffeine buzz he poured a cup of coffee and filled the sink to let the dishes soak. Unfortunately he'd only managed a few sips of the fresh brew before he heard whimpering over the baby monitor. He sat for a moment hoping that Tim would fall back asleep, but when a shrill cry nearly perforated his eardrums he jumped to his feet and headed upstairs. When he walked into the bedroom, Timmy was sitting in the middle of the bed yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"Merry Christmas, baby! Did you have a good sleep?"

Tim nodded groggily, snuggling into Gibbs' chest as the older man took a seat on the bed and lifted the toddler into his lap. The little guy always took longer to wake up in the morning, but Gibbs didn't mind, he often used it to his advantage. Although Tim enjoyed showing and receiving affection, he was particularly snuggly in the morning. Resting his chin on top of Tim's head he rubbed small circles on his back and whispered, "Santa Claus came last night, kiddo." Tim slowly pulled away from his chest, looking up to make eye contact with the older man. Pressing a kiss to the toddler's forehead Gibbs continued, "You want to go downstairs and see what he brought you?"

"Kay," Tim mumbled hesitantly, obviously still apprehensive of Santa's motives.

"Don't worry, sweetie, Santa is back at the North Pole already."

Gathering the baby in his arms he proceeded down the hall to Tim's bedroom. After a quick diaper change the pair headed downstairs. As they turned the corner to head into the family room, Jet bounced out of the kitchen.

"Doggy!" Tim squealed, clapping his hands together when the canine came over to greet him.

"I think Santa left some gifts for Jet, too." Once they reached the family room Tim's eyes lit up when he spotted the shiny red wagon.

"Wow! Look what Santa brought you, son." Gibbs plopped the toddler down in the wagon and picked up the handle.

"How about we go for a little ride around the house?"

Timmy nodded enthusiastically; grabbing hold of the sides to balance as Gibbs slowly backed the wagon up. A huge grin appeared on his face and he giggled hysterically as he was chauffeured around the house. Although there wasn't much space to pull the wagon around, it was enough for Tim to get his feet wet.

"You like it, kiddo? I figured when it got warmer we could take Jet on walks together."

"Mowr, mowr Dada!" Tim shrieked as Gibbs parked the wagon off to the side and reached down to pick him up.

"We have all day to take more rides, Timmy." He paused, taking a few more steps into the family room so that the keyboard was visible.

"Wow! Look what else Santa brought for you!"

Bouncing excitedly in Gibbs' arms, Tim reached out to touch the keyboard. Grunting in disappointment when he realized he was too far away he started squirming, hoping Gibbs would let him down.

"Okay, sweetie, here we go."

Gibbs chuckled, crouching down to deposit Tim on the floor as he grabbed the keyboard and placed it in front of his little boy. Seizing the camera from a nearby table he sat down next to Tim and powered up the keyboard. Timmy's face lit up brighter than the lights on the Christmas tree as he delightedly banged on the keys. Gibbs sighed; witnessing his son's reaction was breathtaking. After watching Tim play for a few minutes he snapped several pictures of the toddler, even going as far as taking a couple of selfies of the two of them. It took some convincing, but eventually Gibbs was able to set the keyboard aside, while Tim opened the rest of his gifts. Since he'd opened presents the night before he knew what to expect. After tearing a small hole in the wrapping paper Gibbs would then hand it over to Tim who would continue ripping the paper until the gift was unwrapped.

The little guy opened several gifts including clothes, DVD's, a toy workbench and a learning laptop. He was almost as excited about the laptop as he'd been about the keyboard and pleaded with his daddy to open it. As Gibbs started to open the box the kitchen timer rang, signaling the cinnamon rolls were finished baking. Not allowing Tim time to protest he scooped the youngster up in his arms and padded into the kitchen. Tim wailed when he realized what was happening until his stomach growled and the smell of the delicious, gooey pastries made his mouth water.

After buckling Tim in the highchair; Gibbs snapped on the tray and ran his fingers through the little guy's curls, "Quick breakfast and then you can get back to playing, son."

"Ba ba?" Tim inquired as he watched the older man carefully remove the rolls from the oven.

"Give me a moment, buddy. Daddy wants to get these iced while they're still hot." Gibbs responded, glancing over his shoulder before turning his attention back to the cinnamon rolls. As he worked he talked with Timmy to keep him occupied until breakfast was ready.

"How about we give Jet his presents when we're done eating?"

Tim nodded enthusiastically, glancing over at Jet who had plunked down near the highchair in hopes of collecting crumbs. Once the pastries were iced and cooling, Gibbs freshened his coffee and prepared a bottle of milk for Timmy.

"Here's your ba ba, sweetie." Gibbs cooed, handing Tim the bottle before tying a bib around his neck.

"I forgot to mention how adorable you look in your Santa sleeper. I bet Santa thought it was cute too."

Tim was too thirsty to respond; grabbing the bottle he shoved the nipple into his mouth and sucked greedily. Gibbs chuckled as he pulled up Tim's sleeves, hoping to save the fabric from the onslaught of sticky, gooeyness that was about to ensue. "You're a messy boy, but I love you just the same. Let's eat."

The two feasted on the delectable pastries as they watched the snow tumble from the sky, giving the landscaping a fresh powdering. After stuffing their bellies full, Gibbs cleaned Timmy's hands and face and lifted him out of the highchair. Pressing a kiss to his temple he asked, "You want to go play while I clean up in here?"

Tim couldn't wait to get back to all his new toys and squirmed in his daddy's arms. Gibbs crouched down, placed him on the floor and patted his bottom. "Go play, son. Stay away from that wagon though. I don't want you to get hurt."

As the toddler crawled off to the family room, Gibbs tilted his head, signaling Jet to follow along to keep an eye on him. Although Tim was only a year old he didn't want him to feel as though he was constantly being smothered. Nevertheless, tiny Tim was also a daredevil and he felt better knowing Jet was nearby to alert him if necessary. He relaxed when he heard music coming from the keyboard and went about cleaning the kitchen. Once the dishes were done he poured another cup of coffee and went to check on his son.

The toddler glanced up from the keyboard when he heard Gibbs approaching and waved his hand at Jet.

"Doggy!" He squealed, getting up on his hands and knees to crawl to where Jet was curled up.

"That's right, Timmy. It's Jet's turn to see what Santa brought him."

Removing Jet's stocking from the mantle the older man dropped down onto the floor next to Tim and his furry companion. Jet immediately began nudging Gibbs' hand with his nose, fully aware that the treats were for him. Laughing, Gibbs patted the canine's head, "You're almost as impatient as Timmy."

As he dumped the contents of the stocking out onto the floor, Jet immediately picked up one of the tennis balls, eager to play. "Sorry buddy, but we're not going to play fetch in the house." Gibbs picked up one of the large bones and offered it to him. "I think you'll find this much more appealing."

Jet moved closer to smell the bone, attempting to grasp it in his mouth along with the tennis ball. Timmy giggled as the dog made every effort to grasp both treats in his mouth.

"Cwazy doggy, dada!"

Chuckling, Gibbs ruffled Tim's hair, "You're right, kiddo. Jet sure is protective of his treats."

After trying multiple times with no success Jet finally gave up, dropping the ball out of his mouth in favor of the bone. Once the canine had retreated to his bed to enjoy his Christmas present, Gibbs rolled the ball in his direction. The dog barked his appreciation as the ball ricocheted off the bed, landing within a short distance in which he was able to reach it. Satisfied that he now had both toys, he began gnawing on the large bone.

Santa had brought other treats and toys for the dog, but Jet was happy for the moment so the older man collected the rest of the gifts and stuffed them back in the stocking. As he finished, Tim crawled into his lap and leaned back against his chest. Gibbs leaned down and kissed the top of his head, mumbling, "Santa did a good job picking out all your gifts this year, sweetie."

The toddler shifted in his lap so he could see Gibbs' face. Playing with the strings on the older man's sweatshirt, Timmy whispered, "Dada," and pointed to the gifts that were intended for the rest of the team.

Gibbs wasn't quite sure what Tim was hinting at and responded, "Those are for your aunts, uncle and grandpas, kiddo. They'll open them this afternoon."

Tim shook his head, motioning to the gifts and then back to the older man. Once Gibbs realized that his sweet son was worried that he hadn't opened any presents, he wrapped his arms around him and pulled him closer to his chest.

"Daddy doesn't need any gifts from Santa, sweetie. You want to know why?" Tim sighed contently as the strong arms holding him tightened around his small frame.

"I've already been given the most magnificent gift that anybody could imagine."

Nuzzling closer to the toddler he swallowed past the lump in his throat before continuing, "I get the opportunity to be your daddy. Each day is like Christmas for me with you in my life. I love you, kiddo."

"Lub u dada."

The two Gibbses cuddled for a bit longer until the numerous toys littering the floor distracted Tim. Chuckling, Gibbs opened the learning laptop box, popped the batteries in and turned it on. Timmy's eyes widened as he pushed numerous buttons that emanated different sounds. Satisfied that the youngster would be occupied for a while, Gibbs lifted him off his lap and onto the floor.

"Daddy is going into the kitchen to start cooking."

Tim barely acknowledged him as he was too captivated by all the lights and sounds. Chuckling, Gibbs patted him on the back and stood up, "Call me if you need anything, sweetie."

Taking one last look over his shoulder as he entered the kitchen he was reminded of how lucky he was to have Tim in his life.

XXX

By the time 2 o'clock rolled around Gibbs was ready to throw the keyboard out the window and welcomed the loud knock on the door. It wasn't as if he didn't want Tim to have fun but the incessant noise was wearing on his last nerve. The poor dog had even retreated upstairs to catch a nap and have some peace and quiet.

"Sounds like our company is here, Timmy."

Gibbs was surprised when Tim willingly discarded the keyboard and came crawling over to him. Scooping the toddler up in his arms he kissed his forehead and chuckled, "Remind me never to buy you a drum set."

When there was a second knock on the door Gibbs hurried to the entryway, aware that their guests likely had their hands full.

"Merry Christmas!" He exclaimed as he unlocked and opened the door.

Ducky and Jack smiled as their grandson flashed a mostly toothless grin. "Merry Christmas to both of you as well." Ducky responded, reaching up to gently pinch Tim's chubby cheeks.

Jack motioned over his shoulder as the two older men entered the house. "Abby is going to need help getting all the packages out of her car, Leroy."

Gibbs glanced at both men, unsure of whom to hand Tim off to. Ducky was still healing from his surgery and the little guy weighed more than he was allowed to lift. Jack on the other hand was sometimes unstable on his feet and Gibbs worried about him being able to control a squirming toddler.

"I can see the wheels turning in your head, son." Jack quickly shed his coat and held out his arms, "Although you may disagree I am certainly capable of holding my grandson."

The younger man nodded as a small smile appeared on his face. "I know you are, dad, but Timmy can be quite a handful."

"Nonsense, son. I will be perfectly fine while you help Abby unload her car."

"Okay," Gibbs replied, drawing in a long breath as he carefully handed Tim over to his father. "I'll be right back, kiddo." Once he was sure that Jack had a strong grip on his boy he trudged out to Abby's car to help collect the rest of the bags. Abby had been waiting in the car and when she saw Gibbs she got out to meet him.

"Gibbs...Gibbs...Gibbs! Merry Christmas!" Bouncing excitedly back to the trunk she threw her arms around his neck. "Can you believe it's finally Christmas? I mean, I know that it was yesterday too, but technically today is the day that..."

"Abs!"

"What? I'm just so excited it's Christmas! I can't wait for Timmy to see what I bought him."

"I'm sure he'll love anything, Abs."

Gibbs shivered as the wind howled through the trees. "Why don't you open the trunk so we can gather everything and get inside. My dad is holding Tim right now and I don't want him to become too heavy."

After unlocking the trunk Abby pointed out where the specific bags should go once they were unloaded into the house. A few bags needed to go to the kitchen, while a handful of others bags included neatly wrapped gifts. When Gibbs saw all the gifts he sighed, "Timmy is going to be one spoiled little boy this Christmas."

Abby shrugged her shoulders, "I don't understand what the big deal is Gibbs. It's our jobs as Tim's relatives to spoil him rotten. Besides not all these gifts are from me, some are from Ducky too."

"I know everyone is excited because this is Tim's first Christmas. However, I don't want him growing up expecting that whatever he wants is going to be waiting for him on a silver platter. He'll have to learn that in order to earn rewards he'll have to be willing to put in the hard work."

Collecting a few of the bags Abby handed them to Gibbs and reached in to get the others. "I admire your parenting skills, Gibbs, but I think you need to cut Timmy some slack. He's only a year old; when the time is right I have no doubt he'll grow up to be a caring and sensitive young man. In the meantime I think it should be all about having fun together."

Gibbs nodded, slamming the trunk shut, he turned toward the Goth, "I'll try not to let it bother me this Christmas, but for future holidays we're going to have a limit on how much all of you spend."

Abby mumbled underneath her breath, "Yeah, good luck trying to enforce that."

"What?" Gibbs asked as they headed toward the house.

"Umm, nothing..."Abby muttered, biting down on her bottom lip. She was surprised the older man had heard anything at all. She was saved, however when Tony's car pulled into the driveway. Noticing that Gibbs was distracted she continued into the house and made a beeline for the kitchen.

Dropping the rest of the bags near the door Gibbs quickly turned to check on Jack and Timmy. When he saw the two of them bonding and that Jack appeared not to be in distress, he turned to go back outside to help Tony and Ziva with their packages.

"Merry Christmas, Boss!"

"Merry Christmas! I just helped Abby with all her bags. Do you two need any help?"

"That would be wonderful, Gibbs. He has a big gift for Timothy and will not be able to carry anything else."

Gibbs had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. He knew that everyone meant well. All he needed to do was take a deep breath and enjoy the day. Tony opened the car door and reached into the back seat. Grunting, he slid a large misshapen item out of the car, trying carefully not to tear the wrapping paper. Gibbs chuckled when he saw the mismatched paper and remarked, "Let me guess, you wrapped that all by yourself, DiNozzo?"

Huffing, Tony glanced over at Ziva, "If someone was willing to help me then it would have been wrapped in the same paper."

"Do not blame me, Tony. I suggested that you just put a bow on it rather than wrapping it. Perhaps you will listen to me next time."

Tony was about to open his mouth to respond when he heard Tim calling his name from the door. "Hey kiddo!" Balancing the large gift under one arm he waved to the toddler and headed toward the house.

"That is all he talked about on our way over here, Gibbs."

Gibbs chuckled, gently squeezing her shoulder, "He means well, Zeever."

"I know he does and I am glad that he has formed such a strong bond with Timmy, but he gets on my nerves sometimes."

She signaled to a large gift that was taking up most of the trunk, "Could you carry that inside for me?"

Gibbs reached down, collected the large box and rested it on top of his shoulder. "It's funny because I just mentioned to Abby that Timmy is going to be one spoiled boy this Christmas."

Ziva grabbed the remaining bags, closed the trunk and smiled, "What do you expect when you have an only child who has many people that love him?"

Wrapping his free arm around Ziva's shoulder, Gibbs guided her into the house. Breathing a sigh of relief when he saw that Tim was already ensconced in Tony's arms, he carried the large package into the family room and placed it under the Christmas tree. Although he really wanted Jack and Tim to get to know each other, he worried how long his body could support a wiggly toddler. Glancing around the room he couldn't help but smile as his family's happy chattering filled the air. Tim was in heaven, basking in the attention he received from each one of them. The little guy could certainly commandeer a room and was showing off all his new gifts he'd received from Santa.

Gibbs stood back watching and when Ducky noticed he moved closer to the younger man. "It appears as though Santa did a great job picking out gifts for our boy, hmm?"

Nodding, Gibbs wrapped his arm around Ducky's shoulder, "Yes he did. The jury is still out on the keyboard though."

Ducky snickered, "Sick of it already, my friend?"

"I was ready to toss it out the window before everyone arrived. When we spent the night at that bed and breakfast, he loved playing the piano and singing along." Gibbs lowered his voice so that his father, who was standing a few feet away, couldn't hear him. "I had just had that fight with my dad and I don't know..."

"The piano was soothing, Jethro. It was an activity that you could do with your little boy and all of your problems seemed to disappear. Studies show that music increases a toddler's learning abilities and improves mental focus. Timothy is only a year; he needs you to teach him how to make beautiful music. Otherwise I'm afraid you'll really end up chucking that keyboard out the window."

Gibbs scoffed, "I really don't know anything about music, Duck. I can play Twinkle, Twinkle and that's about it."

The older man patted him on the shoulder and grinned, "Rome wasn't built in a day, Jethro. There is no harm in starting slow and learning together. Plenty of books out there for beginners. I have no doubt that by next Christmas Tim will know quite a few songs and perhaps putting on a little show for all of us."

The younger man smiled as he thought about Tim sitting on his lap, snuggled against his chest, while they learned new songs together. Suddenly, the keyboard didn't sound so bad after all. Startled when he heard his name being yelled from across the room he zoned in on the high-pitched voice.

"What is it, Abby?"

"We're all wondering if we should open presents before we eat."

"Yeah, I think that would be a great idea. I have to baste the bird which should be ready for carving in the next hour. I also made a few appetizers that we can enjoy, while we're busy opening gifts."

"I'll help you, Boss."

Ziva chuckled, "We all know why Tony wants to be the one to help with the hors d'oeuvres."

Jack and Ducky each put a hand over their mouths to stifle the laughter that was threatening to prevail. Abby, on the other hand was howling and gasping for breath. Finally she managed to squeak out, "Save some for the rest of us."

Tony mocked their laughter, spun around on his heels and headed toward the kitchen. "Just for that I'm going to let you get your own drinks."

"That is fine, Tony. I am perfectly capable of getting my own drink."

Gibbs rolled his eyes, signaling for Ziva to take a seat. "You did enough work yesterday, Zeever. Tell me what you want to drink and I'll have DiNozzo make it while we're in there."

"Thank you, Gibbs."

The older man nodded, taking everyone's drink orders before following Tony into the kitchen. The younger man had overhead each beverage order and was starting to prepare them. The corner of Gibbs' lip curled upward, "Don't want to incur the wrath of Ziva?"

"Been doing that for years, Boss, but this time there's..." He cleared his throat and whispered, "Feelings involved."

"There have always been feelings involved, Tony." Gibbs grabbed the appetizers out of the refrigerator and continued, "Those feelings are changing; all I ask is that it doesn't interfere with work."

Tony swallowed hard, wondering when his mouth had become so dry. Not trusting himself to say anything else he nodded and continued making drinks. Once the two men had everything straightened away in the kitchen they returned to the family room to open presents. Abby volunteered to play Santa, as Tim was still too young and reached under the tree to retrieve a beautifully wrapped gift.

"I think you should open this first, Gibbs. You're the only person who has not opened anything."

Gibbs shrugged his shoulders, "I don't mind, Abs. My goal was to make sure Timmy had a great Christmas." He chuckled, pointing to the mountain of toys and books, "Judging by all of that, it appears my work is done. Besides we agreed not to buy each other gifts."

Abby nodded, "You're right we did agree, but this gift isn't from any of us."

The older man looked closely at the gift tag and smiled, "Aww it's from my little Timmy."

Tim, who had been cuddling with Ziva, crawled out of her lap and onto Gibbs'. Pressing a kiss to the top of the toddler's head, Gibbs murmured, "Hmm I wonder what this could be." Tim squirmed excitedly as his daddy carefully peeled the paper away to unveil a plaque made from plaster of Paris that included a set of Tim's tiny handprints. Underneath the handprints, carved into the mold was 'Timmy Gibbs - 2013.' It was beautifully painted by Timmy as well.

Tracing the handprints with his finger, Gibbs blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall.

"Dada wike?" Tim questioned earnestly, unable to tell the difference between happy and sad tears.

"I love it, kiddo. It's one of the best gifts I have ever received."

Tim grinned, threw his arms around his daddy's neck and squeezed tightly. Gibbs enjoyed the moment of having his son wrapped tightly in his arms and looked around the room. Abby, Ziva and Jack were wiping away tears, while Ducky and Tony were trying hard not to be reduced to weeping babies.

"Thank you." Gibbs whispered, specifically zoning in on the two members of his team who'd likely thought of the idea.

"Mission accomplished!" Ziva exclaimed, holding her hand up to give Abby a high five.

Regaining his composure Gibbs gestured toward a group of gifts on the right hand side of the tree. "I think it's time you receive your other gift from Tim."

Abby nodded, passing each package to its proper owner. Once everyone had one to open, she looked thoughtfully at Tim. "It's only fair that the little guy has one to open too."

"He can wait and watch all of you first, Abs."

Tony shook his gift, eyes widening when he heard a loud thump. "Oops I hope it's nothing breakable."

Gibbs rolled his eyes as Ducky gently smacked DiNozzo on the back of the head. "Now why would you do that Anthony?"

Tony cringed, "I guess I wasn't thinking, Ducky."

Ducky opened his mouth to reply, but stopped short when Gibbs held his hand up to let him know it was okay. "I'm sure it's fine and thanks Duck for doing exactly what I would have done if I were closer to him."

"Well, somebody had to do it, Jethro." He patted Tony on the shoulder and added, "I hope for your sake my dear boy that you didn't break whatever it is that Timmy picked out for you."

"I hope so too, Ducky." Tony glanced around the room at everyone cradling their gift and smiled, "Well, what are we all waiting for?"

Shreds of wrapping paper began flying in different directions as the others tore into their packages. Abby shrieked when she opened a box that held a custom Caf-Pow tumbler. The cup appeared similar to those sold in retailers, but it was a hard plastic and had 'World's Greatest Aunt' emblazoned on it."

"Oh my god, Gibbs! Where did you manage to find this?" She proudly held it up so everyone could see what she was referring to.

"I called the manufacturer; told them about your addiction and how their beverage kept you alert and awake while helping NCIS solve crimes. They were so impressed that they offered to print anything I wanted on the cup. Unscrew the lid and you'll see there's another gift inside."

Abby's mouth dropped open as she unscrewed the lid and pulled out a small card. Puzzled, she read the card aloud, "This card entitles the owner, Abby Sciuto, to free Caf-Pow for an entire year. To be used wherever Caf-Pow is sold."

The Goth flew across the room and came to a screeching halt in front of Tim and Gibbs. Crouching down so that she could be at eye level with Tim she squealed, "Thanks so much for my gift, Timmy." Tim babbled happily, extending his arms to welcome Abby in for a hug.

"Ooh you're so cute!" Abby squealed, leaning in to wrap her arms around the little guy's tiny frame. Gibbs watched closely at the amount of strength Abby was using in case he needed to remind her to be gentle. However, he was pleasantly surprised when she appeared to be learning from her prior mistakes involving hugging. As the two embraced, the rest of the team was examining their gifts. Ducky and Jack loved their 'World's Greatest Grandpa' mugs with both men commenting that they never imagined they'd have the opportunity to own one.

Tony and Ziva received travel mugs that would be useful on call outs and each of them proudly held up their gifts to show everyone.

"Thanks Timmy! I never thought I would own a 'World's Greatest Uncle' mug."

Ducky chuckled and patted his back; "I think we all agree that you've earned the title over the past few months, Anthony."

"Thanks Ducky that means a lot coming from you." Tony turned to face Gibbs and Tim and continued, "It means a lot coming from you too."

Gibbs smirked, "Just don't let it go to your head, DiNozzo."

"Never, Boss."

"Uh huh we'll see about that." Gibbs cleared his throat to get everyone's attention, "I know I've said this before, but I'll say it again. Tim and I are very lucky to have you in our lives. We have the best family anyone could ever ask for."

"The feeling is mutual, Gibbs."

"I know, Zeever."

"I'm grateful that you've found such a loving and inviting family, Jethro." Jack looked around the room and added, "Thanks to each and every one of you for allowing me into your hearts as well."

Abby rubbed his back and kissed him on the cheek. "We're glad you decided to come and have Christmas with us. With Timmy around you don't have any excuses not to visit more often."

There was a moment of awkward silence as the words tumbled out of Abby's mouth. The team was still in the dark as to what happened between Jethro and Jack, but assumed their talk a few nights ago was enough to bury the hatchet - at least for the holidays. The truth of the matter was that none of them knew how long it'd be before they saw Jack again and they'd have to pick up on any clues along the way to gauge their relationship status.

Sensing the uneasiness in the room Ducky clucked his tongue to get everyone's attention. "Timothy still has quite a few gifts to open. I think it would be a good idea to get the lad started so we're not sitting here all night." He looked over at Jack and smiled, "I think you should go first, my friend."

"Okay," Jack responded, pointing to the large box that had arrived a few days ago. Patting Tony on the knee he continued, "It's rather heavy, would you mind helping Abby with it?"

"No, of course not." Standing up, he retrieved the large box from next to the Christmas tree and plopped it down in front of Gibbs and Timmy. The toddler clapped wildly, realizing it was time to open more presents.

Gibbs' eyes roamed over the layer and layers of packing tape as he decided the best way to open the box. Retrieving his knife from his belt he slit an opening in the top of the box.

"Leroy, before you open the box I want to let you know that there's gifts for both of you in there. I didn't have time to wrap them, but I put a lot of thought and effort into picking them out."

"I'm sure they will be great, dad."

After adjusting Tim in his lap so they both had a glimpse into the box, Gibbs' face lit up when he recognized what one of the gifts was. Sliding his hand down into the box he pulled out a toddler size fishing pole.

"Wow! Look what Grandpa Jack bought you, kiddo. It's your first fishing pole."

Tim's eyes widened as his daddy handed him what appeared to be a stick like he'd watched Jet play with. It didn't light up, make noise or have any fancy buttons, but it was a toy like his buddy Jet enjoyed playing with so maybe he would too.

"This is the perfect gift, dad. When Tim and I come to visit you in the spring we'll have to take him fishing."

"Do you mean in it, Leroy? You two are planning on visiting me in Stillwater?"

"Yep, it's part of your Christmas present."

Jack swallowed hard as tears formed in his eyes. He didn't expect Leroy or Tim to visit for a long time after their argument. Inhaling sharply he pointed to the large box, "There's still more surprises inside, son."

Ziva took the fishing pole from Timmy and set if off to the side so he could be ready for his next gift. Reaching down into the box Gibbs spotted a small tackle box and fishing vest and pulled both items out together. Everyone oohed and aahed over the adorable and thoughtful gifts.

"Timothy will certainly have all the gear he needs for his first fishing lesson."

Gibbs smiled as he held up the beige vest that was inundated with multiple pockets and zippers. "This is going to look so good on you, kiddo. I wish it was spring right now so we could take all your new stuff out for a spin."

"The snow will be gone soon, Leroy. In the meantime you can practice with Timmy indoors. Let him get a feel and knowledge of what the fishing pole actually does."

"Great idea, dad. If I remember correctly that's how you taught me." He chuckled and continued, "Mom used to get so upset when I'd practice down the long hall way leading in from the front door."

"You're right she did. Although she was probably more upset at me rather than you. We had fun though and that's all that mattered." Jack paused and took a deep breath, "There's one more gift in there for the both of you, son."

"I saw that, dad. It was the biggest one so I figured I would wait until the end." He tapped Ziva on the arm and continued, "Would you mind helping me out?"

While Ziva held one end of the box to keep it steady Gibbs pulled out a large frame that was secured with bubble wrap. As the layers of padding were peeled away Gibbs' heart raced with anticipation. Once the final layer was removed, the picture that he was staring at took his breath away.

"Wait...how... did you... manage?" He stuttered, staring proudly at an enlarged picture that the photographer had taken at Fishing Creek in Stillwater.

"What is it?"

Gibbs turned the picture around, giving the others a chance to admire the lovely black and white photo of Timmy sitting on Gibbs' shoulders as they watched a family of deer.

Abby gasped, throwing her hands up over her mouth in awe. "Oh my goodness! It's so precious! Where was that taken?"

"I'm so glad you like it, son. I saw it in The Press Enterprise - that's the newspaper for Bloomsburg - a couple weeks after you'd visited. The photo didn't have a caption, but I'd recognize the back of your head anywhere. Of course it made it easier knowing that the picture had been taken at Fishing Creek and that I'd always find you there after we had an argument." He paused, "I contacted the photographer Linda Stevens and told her that you were my son and that I'd like to surprise you with it. She told me it's not something she usually allows, but I think she's sweet on you. I gave her my address, she mailed me the picture and I took it to the store to be enlarged and framed. There should be a copy of the newspaper clipping inside the box as well."

"Here you can pass this around, Zeever." Handing the frame off to Ziva, Gibbs dug inside the box, pulling out the newspaper clipping of father and son. "Look at the two of us, Timmy." Gibbs held the article out in front of Tim so he could see the picture.

"Dada!" The little guy shrieked, pointing at the older man.

"Uh huh and who's that?"

"Me!"

"Yep! Do you remember what we saw that day?"

Tim's brow furrowed as he examined the newspaper. Turning to face Gibbs he mumbled, "Doggy?"

"Very close, son. That's not actually a doggy that's a baby deer."

Everyone chuckled at Tim's effort and once the laughter died down Gibbs grabbed his father's attention. "I love it, dad. You couldn't have picked better gifts for the two of us."

Jackson blushed, sinking back into the chair, grateful he'd done something right in their relationship.

"My turn," Ducky announced, pointing to his gifts underneath the Christmas tree. "Abigail would you be a dear and hand those over to Timothy?"

The first gift was a kid's piano book that had various lullabies and songs that were geared toward the younger generation. It also included stickers and a guide as to which notes were which on the piano. Gibbs smiled when he saw the book and glanced up at Ducky, "You're a smart man, Duck. How did you know?"

"I was with you when you purchased the keyboard, Jethro. I knew that our lad would need some help along the way and that book was the perfect idea. Perhaps I can teach the little guy how to tickle the ivories as well."

"I'm sure he would love that, Duck. Thanks for helping to keep me sane."

Tim tore through the other presents from Ducky that were mainly educational. Books that included learning numbers, shapes and letters. The toddler was fascinated with each of them and Gibbs was thankful that the older man had put some thought into each gift.

"I think Timmy should open our stuff next, Gibbs." Ziva nodded as she stood and walked over to the Christmas tree. Gathering the large box that Gibbs had carried inside earlier she placed it in front of them.

"The two of us had similar ideas on what we wanted to get Tim and were able to come up with a compromise. That is why we wanted him to open ours back to back."

The toddler pounded on top of the box to get the older man's attention. Chuckling at his little boy, Gibbs tore a hole in the wrapping paper and watched as he tore it to shreds. Once the top part of the box was unwrapped Ziva pulled the rest of the paper off.

"Oh, boy, Timmy. Look what Aunt Ziva got you! It's your very own art easel. Now you can continue to paint everyone your beautiful pictures."

Tim clapped his hands in excitement when he saw the picture on the box, recognizing a similar object from daycare. He extended his arms to give Ziva a hug and when the Israeli got closer he planted a slobbery kiss on her cheek before wrapping his arms around her neck. Ziva giggled as she reciprocated the hug, whispering, "Merry Christmas my sweet Timothy."

When they finally broke the hug Gibbs leaned down and kissed the top of his head. "That's my sweet little baby."

Abby was practically bursting at the seams when she handed Timmy her two gifts. "As Ziva mentioned before these will go along with the easel."

The first package contained a set of washable paint, large brushes and canvas. The second one included a painting smock with Tim's name embroidered on the left hand side.

Tim was even more excited when he saw the paint, brushes and paper. Giving Abby the same thank you he'd done with Ziva he was ready to get to work. He was a bit disappointed when Gibbs told him he'd have to wait until after dinner. The toddler's bottom lip stuck out into a pout until Tony plopped his gift down on the floor in front of him.

"Don't cry, kiddo, you have one more gift to open and I think you're really going to like it. Boss do you mind if I bring him down here on the floor with me?"

"Nope, not at all, DiNozzo."

Tony gathered Tim in his arms, setting the youngster down in his lap. "I thought long and hard about what to get my best bud, but in the end there was only one thing that I felt was worthy of you, kiddo."

Ziva grabbed her camera off the end table, snapping pictures as Tony and Tim unwrapped the large misshapen object together. As bit by bit of paper fell to the floor Tim's eyes widened. At one point Gibbs thought they might pop out of his tiny little head.

"Howsey!" Timmy shrieked as the last remaining remnants of paper fluttered to the ground.

"That's right, it's a rocking horse and it's all yours, buddy! Now Uncle Tony doesn't need to be the human horsey all the time."

Tony glanced nervously at Gibbs, hoping he wouldn't mind that he'd taken it upon himself to buy a horse rather than allow the older man to make one. When he received a nod of approval from his boss he let go of the breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

"I know the craftsmanship is nowhere close to what you can do, Gibbs. I also know that you've been busy lately and haven't had a lot of time to work in the basement. I just thought that this would help lighten your load for a while."

Gibbs smiled, "I think it's perfect, DiNozzo. You're right - there couldn't have been a more perfect gift from you than that horse."

Tim tugged on Tony's shirtsleeve to get his attention. When the older man looked down, Tim wrapped his arms around his neck, resting his head on Tony's shoulder. Whispering, the little guy said, "Tanks Toey. Me lub howsey n u."

"I love you too, Timmy. How about we take the horsey for a test ride?"

"Yesh!" The youngster exclaimed as Tony cleared the remaining wrapping paper away from the base of the horse and sat Tim on the seat. Using one hand to balance Tim, Tony used his free hand to position the toddler's hand on the handles. "You'll always hold on right here, kiddo." Once Tim had a firm grip on the handles Tony slowly rocked the horse back and forth. There was a huge grin plastered across Tim's face and he giggled uncontrollably as the horse moved back and forth. His enthusiasm was contagious as the entire downstairs was soon filled with hearty laughter.

"I would say you did quite well at picking out the perfect gift, Anthony. However, I must warn you to be careful with him while he's on it. I do not wish to be getting any phone calls that our dear boy is in need of stitches."

"Don't worry, Ducky, I'll do everything in my power to make sure Tim stays safe while he's on it. I'm sure that goes for the rest of us too."

The others nodded their agreement as Gibbs scooped all the wrapping paper into a garbage bag. As he stood up and smiled at his son, who was giggling at the slight breeze ruffling his hair, he said, "On behalf of the both of us, thank you for making Timmy's first Christmas one to remember. As I mentioned before we are both blessed to have all of your in our lives. Now let's eat!"

After giving the others a hug Gibbs turned snuggly into his father's embrace and spoke softly. "Without a doubt that's the best gift I've ever received from you, dad. I can't believe that you took the time to track down Linda, get the picture framed and have it sent here. That's something I'll cherish forever; and I'm not just talking about the picture."

"It was the least I could do, Leroy. I'm sorry that I was such an ass in Stillwater, but I'm glad you're willing to give me a second chance. I can't wait to take Timmy fishing at Fishing Creek."

"Me either, dad. Three generations of Gibbses catching fish should be fun."

The rest of the day was spent eating, drinking and playing. Tim had so many new toys and playmates he didn't know where to begin. Eventually the little guy along with some of the bigger guys became tired and fell asleep while the family was watching 'A Charlie Brown Christmas.' As Gibbs glanced around the room through half-mast eyelids he smiled, thinking of all the wonderful memories from the past few days. His little boy had had the best Christmas he could have asked for, they all had their health and they were all together. As his eyes drifted closed the last thought he had before following the others into sleep was yep, it had been a great Christmas.