A/N Since this will be the last chapter I post before the holidays I want to wish everybody Happy Holidays & a Happy and Safe New Year! Huge thanks to all of you for continuing to read and review.

XXX

Gibbs tapped his foot nervously against the rung of the chair as Ezra opened the card and the couple began reading the inscription. Iris finished reading first, curiously glancing at Gibbs, she spoke softly, "It's a lovely card, Jethro. However, I'm a bit confused as to what it means."

"Yeah," Ezra huffed, turning the card to show Gibbs. "There's only an address written on it."

"Hmm," Gibbs hummed, drumming his fingers along the edge of the table. "That is a bit odd."

Taking a sip of coffee Gibbs practically choked when Tim began chanting, "And - And - And - And!"

He looked at his son, dumbfounded, wondering how he had put two and two together. He'd never discussed Andrea with Tim. All he could assume was that the toddler had overheard him talking about the young woman with Ducky. Chuckling nervously he ran his fingers through Tim's hair, "You sure have a lot to say tonight, kiddo."

Iris reached over and gently pinched Tim's chubby red cheeks. "I can't believe how well he speaks for only being fifteen months. Do you know what he was saying? It was jumbled together and I was only catching bits and pieces."

"It sounded like he was saying 'and'." Ezra replied, his eyebrows hitting the top of his forehead when he realized that was the first syllable of their daughter's name. Ezra's breathing hitched as tears formed in his eyes, "Did you find our baby?"

Gibbs could feel his own eyes becoming moist as he reached across the table and grabbed Iris' free hand. Smiling, he nodded, "Yes, I did find her."

The older woman gasped, instantly covering her mouth with her hands. As tears streamed down her face she started shaking uncontrollably. Ezra scooted his chair closer to her and wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed into his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye Gibbs noticed Tim was visibly shaken by Iris' emotions. His bottom lip was quivering and he was on the verge of tears as he watched the couple embrace. Frowning when he saw the look on his son's face he slid the highchair over next to him. After unsnapping the tray he unbuckled the straps and gathered Tim in his arms.

"It's okay, sweetie." He whispered, soothingly running his hand up and down the youngster's back. "Your grandparents just received some happy news. Sometimes people cry when they're happy too."

Tim nuzzled closer to Gibbs, sighing contently when his daddy wrapped both arms around him, holding him tight. As Gibbs watched the older couple continue to embrace he felt the need to give them some privacy. Quietly scooting his chair away from the table he stood, hitched Tim over his shoulder and grabbed the toddler's bottle. When Ezra gave him a puzzled look he gestured that they would be in the living room when they felt like talking.

As Tim nursed contentedly from the bottle, Gibbs could only imagine all the emotions the Kleins were going through. Happiness, shock and anxiety were a few that came to mind. He couldn't begin to fathom how hard it had been on all the Kleins not to be a part of each other's lives for the past twenty years. After a few minutes he heard rummaging in the kitchen and soon Iris and Ezra emerged looking as if they had both been put through the wringer. The older woman was clinging tightly to her husband's arm as they padded into the family room. Gibbs started to stand to lend his support, but when Iris waved him off he tentatively took a seat back on the couch and patted the cushion next to him. As Ezra steered Iris over to the couch, Gibbs reached out to grab her trembling hand, hoping the contact would help her relax. When she was finally seated Gibbs wrapped his arm around her shoulder, kissing the top of her head.

"I can't believe you found our baby." Iris whispered, lifting her head to make eye contact.

Gibbs grimaced as he gazed into her haggard green eyes. The never-ending stream of tears had washed all the mascara she'd been wearing away. Taking a tissue out of his pocket he dabbed her tearstained cheeks and smiled. "I know it's a lot to take in so soon, but if you're ready, Andrea is going to meet you two at the address on that card."

"You've already spoken with her?"

Gibbs couldn't help but chuckle when he saw the look of disbelief on Ezra's face. It was almost identical to the look that Andrea had given him when he'd told her about her parents. "I'm sorry, it's just..." he paused and continued, "I saw that same expression on Andrea's face when we met a couple of weeks ago."

Iris gasped, "You've seen her in the flesh? How does she look?"

"She's a beautiful young lady. I only spoke with her for a few minutes, but she has your big beautiful eyes and mouth, Iris. Ezra, she has your nose and chin. I suppose you knew that when she was younger; however as we age we change."

It was the first time since Gibbs had told the Kleins about finding their daughter that he'd seen either of them smile. Iris clutched Ezra's hand for support as Gibbs opened his mouth to speak, "I know this is shocking to both of you so perhaps I'll start from the beginning."

"Please, tell us everything!"

As soon as he was about to begin Tim popped the nipple of the bottle out of his mouth, slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. Gibbs knew he only had a short timeframe before he'd need to bathe the little guy. Kissing the top of the toddler's head he whispered, "Do you want to go play with some of your toys before bed?"

"Yesh!" Tim exclaimed, squirming around in his daddy's lap until he deposited him on the floor. "Go play, sweetie."

Once Tim was engaged and happy, Gibbs took a deep breath, turning his body so he could see both of the Kleins. By this point they were bubbling with anticipation, waiting to hear every detail about his encounter with their daughter.

"Let me start off by saying that I'm a Federal Agent. I work for NCIS."

"That's the Navel Criminal Investigative Service, right?"

Gibbs nodded, "That's right, Ezra. My job along with my team is to protect the people, equipment, infrastructure and technology of the US Navy and Marine Corps. We also investigate and solve crimes regarding military personnel that fall under either of those jurisdictions. Anyway, after I left your place I couldn't stop thinking about Andrea. The two of you were so welcoming and immediately made us feel as if we were part of your family. When I returned to work I knew I wanted to use my resources to help all of you reunite. Fortunately, Abby - who you'll meet later and is our forensic scientist, was able to find Andrea based on the information I'd received from you."

"Wow Jethro! I had no idea that you were a Federal Agent." Iris shrugged her shoulders, "I guess I never thought to ask what you did for a living."

"It's not something I advertise. However, in this case it proved to be handy." Gibbs turned to check to see that Tim was still occupied and continued, "Andrea is working at Bethesda hospital in the maternity ward."

Ezra smiled, clenching his wife's hand tighter as he blinked back tears. "It makes me happy to know that she continued to follow her dreams even after she left home. Growing up all she talked about was wanting to be a nurse. She has a big heart and was always helping people."

Gibbs couldn't help but smile as they reminisced about their daughter. He was positive that by the time they returned to Bloomsburg he'd know more about her than he ever imagined.

"Well, it seems as though she's had quite the career so far. Based on the information Abby was able to gather she moved back to the East coast recently from California. She's also recently divorced." Gibbs paused and took a deep breath, adding, "And are you ready for this?"

"What?"

Iris and Ezra asked simultaneously, a look of anticipation mixed with confusion on their faces.

"Andrea is the mother to three kids! You have three grandchildren!"

The older woman lunged at Gibbs, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing tightly. "Oh gosh. I don't know what to say. I've had dreams about what my grandkids looked like, but I never imagined I'd meet them or that there would be three of them!"

Gibbs frowned; he didn't believe that Andrea was bringing the kids with her for this first meeting. He didn't want Iris and Ezra to get their hopes up and be let down. All he could hope was that they understood they needed to repair their relationship with their daughter before starting relationships with their grandkids. Ezra noticed the look on his face and patted him on the arm.

"Don't worry, Jethro. I think we both understand that it's going to take some time before we're allowed to meet our grandchildren. Isn't that right, dear?"

Iris sniffled, slowly releasing the death grip she had around Gibbs' neck. "I suppose so. It's going to be hard knowing that I have three grandbabies that I'll have to wait to meet." She turned toward her husband and continued, "Oh gosh we're going to be complete strangers to them."

"Let's take this one step at a time, sweetie. We should be grateful that Jethro found Andrea and that she's agreed to meet with us."

"You're right, dear. So when is this reunion taking place?"

"Well, Andrea's off work tomorrow and will be at the address on that card at 1pm. The café is small, but they make the best Brunswick stew. The good news is that it's not too far from here and I've already written directions for you two."

Ezra stood and started pacing back and forth across the family room. After a moment he stopped and looked thoughtfully at Gibbs, "Jethro do you mind if I take Jet for a walk around the neighborhood? I need some time to clear my head, think about what I'm going to say to my little girl."

"Be my guest, Ezra. Jet's been stir crazy because of the winter weather and I'm sure he'd appreciate a good walk. I'll get his leash for you."

As Gibbs stood to get the dog's leash from the closet, a shrill cry nearly perforated his eardrums. Spinning around he saw Tim pinned underneath the wagon. Ezra was first to reach the toddler, lifting the wagon and moving it off to the side to allow Gibbs to scoop up his distraught son. His little guy wailed as he clung tightly to Gibbs. The older man didn't see any noticeable injuries until he lifted Tim's shirt and saw a red line, which would bruise, where the wagon had toppled over on him.

As Tim continued sobbing, Gibbs bounced around the room trying to console him by rubbing his back and whispering reassurances in his ear. Within a few minutes the little guy's sobs turned to sniffles allowing Gibbs to access his injuries.

"I'm sorry, kiddo." Gibbs whispered, nuzzling close to his little boy he continued, "Can you tell daddy where you hurt?"

Tim's response was muffled against Gibbs' shirt so the older man sat down on the couch and turned the youngster toward him. "Can you tell me where it hurts, sweetie?"

By this time Iris had a cool washcloth and handed it over to Gibbs, "I thought you could use this to wipe his face. Poor baby is flushed and sweating from all the crying."

Gibbs nodded his appreciation as he took the damp washcloth and gently cleansed his son's face. Iris took a step back as she watched Jethro tend to Tim; she didn't want them to feel as though she was hovering over them. Ezra, noticing his wife's actions wrapped his arm around her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "Brings back a lot of memories, huh?"

She sighed, "Yes, it does. I remember plenty of sleepless nights when Andrea received the slightest little boo boo. I can't believe Jethro found her and we get to see her tomorrow."

Ezra leaned down and kissed the top of her head, "It truly is a Christmas miracle."

Once Gibbs had wiped the tears and sweat from the toddler's face he repeated his previous question. "Can you tell me where your boo boos are, sweetie?"

Tim whimpered as he pointed to his chest, prompting Gibbs to once again lift his shirt to get a better look. He frowned when he saw a bruise forming where the wagon had landed on his chest. Brushing his fingertips over the indentation he asked, "Does that hurt, son?"

The toddler shook his head, but grimaced when he shifted in his daddy's lap. Gibbs ran his fingers through his hair and looked up at Iris and Ezra, "Do you think he could have broken a rib?"

"It's possible although kids are pretty resilient. I would think since he's stopped crying it's more than likely that it's just a bruise. I'm sure there's an urgent care facility you could take him to if it would make you feel better."

"What about that doctor friend of yours? Couldn't you call him and see what he suggests?"

"That's a great idea, Ezra."

Careful not to jostle Tim too much Gibbs slid his phone out of his pocket, pushed the speed dial for Ducky and waited anxiously for him to pick up. When the older man answered Gibbs didn't even exchange pleasantries before explaining the situation. After asking Gibbs a series of questions regarding Tim's condition he reiterated what Iris mentioned about kids being resilient and that a hot bath and dose of ibuprofen would be beneficial. However, he went on to say that if there was any changes in Tim's behavior or pain level that he'd need to be taken to the hospital immediately. By the time they hung up Gibbs felt much better about taking care of his son.

"Sorry our night had to end like this. Ducky suggests that I run Tim a hot bath, hopefully that will soothe him."

"Nonsense dear," Iris reassured him as she leaned down to give them both a kiss on the cheek. "We're sorry that our sweetheart got hurt, but have been blessed by the gift you've given to us tonight."

"Yeah, there's no reason to apologize, Jethro. With the exception of Timothy getting hurt we've had the perfect evening. If you don't mind I'd still like to take Jet for a walk and clear my head."

Gibbs shook his head and called out for the dog, "Jet! You want to go for a walk, buddy?"

Jet flew down the stairs with such frenzy that when he reached the bottom of the landing his hind legs slipped out from underneath him and he crashed into the wall. The canine shook it off, bounding over to Tim to give him happy kisses. Tim giggled at the pup's persistence and reached down to stroke his head.

"Siwwy doggy."

The adults chuckled at Tim's response; Gibbs taking it as a good sign that he'd be all right. Ruffling the dog's ears he spoke, "You're going to go for a walk with Ezra. I want you to be a good boy for him, okay?"

Jet bounced happily over to the closet where his leash was stored and started pacing back and forth. When he saw Ezra hadn't moved he barked several times and gave him an exasperated look.

Iris chuckled, pushing her husband toward the impatient canine. "Jet is too funny! I'm guessing it's either his way or the highway?"

"Pretty much. Jet's a retired military dog; even though he's been with me for the past couple of years, he continues to have that sense of urgency. He's a great dog for Timmy though. As I said, the two of them are best buddies."

"Nothing better than a boy and his dog." Ezra chuckled as he patted Jet's head and continued, "I hope you go easy on me, Jet."

"He's very good on the leash. He knows lots of commands so if you feel like he's walking you or lollygagging around just call out a basic command and he'll listen."

The older man nodded and walked over to the closest to retrieve his outerwear and the leash. Once he was bundled up he crouched down and clipped the leash to Jet's collar. The canine bounced in excitement, ready to burn off some pent up energy. After kissing his wife goodbye he ruffled Tim's hair and said, "Feel better, kiddo. Grandpa will see you in the morning." Impatiently, Jet tugged on the leash pulling Ezra toward the door. Chuckling at the pup's excitement he followed him to the door, unlocked it and the two stepped out into the blustery winter night.

Once the pair was gone Iris turned to the Gibbses, "Why don't you take him upstairs and get him ready for bed. I'm going to make a cup of tea and sit by the fire."

Gibbs carefully studied the older woman; wanting to make sure she was all right before he left her alone. She noticed his concern and cupped his face with her hand, "I'm okay, dear. I need some time alone as well and you need to take care of this guy."

As much as he wanted to he couldn't argue with Iris. He couldn't imagine all the thoughts that were racing through her mind. As he stood he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "Everything is going to work out. I strongly believe that for your entire family."

That statement garnered a tiny grin from the older woman. "I know; it's just a lot to take in, especially in such a short time period." She paused to give them both a kiss on the cheek, adding, "Enough about me. Take this little one upstairs and let him soak in a nice warm bath. When he's done let me know and I'll warm up a bottle."

Gibbs opened his mouth to resist, but knew it would be futile. Instead he smiled and murmured, "That would be nice." Gently readjusting Tim in his arms so not to hurt the little guy he continued, "C'mon Timmy I can hear the bubbles calling your name."

Tim squealed delightfully as Gibbs ascended the stairs to the bathroom. After the duo had made it halfway Iris headed to the kitchen in search of tea. Once she reached the kitchen she collapsed into a chair as she felt the stress and exhaustion begin to take its toll. She'd dreamed about reuniting with Andrea for the past twenty years, but now that it was becoming a reality she was anxious and frightened. After allowing herself a few minutes to rest she filled a mug with water and placed it in the microwave. She noticed that Gibbs had a teapot; however she was too tired to worry about it tonight. While the microwave was running she rooted through the cupboards and found several different varieties of tea. One was a peppermint flavor and she opted for that. When she heard the water turn on upstairs she couldn't help but smile at the thought of Timmy sitting in a bathtub full of bubbles. As the microwave signaled it was done she dropped the tea bag into the mug and retreated to the family room to snuggle on the couch, watch the fire and be alone with her thoughts.

Once Gibbs and Tim made it upstairs, the older man headed straight for the bathroom to start the bath. As he dumped a hefty supply of bubble bath into the tub a giant grin appeared on Tim's face.

"Bubble bubble bubble Dada!"

"I know, kiddo it has been a long time since you've had a bubble bath."

Tim nodded as Gibbs carried him back to the bedroom, gently laying him on the bed to remove his clothes. He watched his face for signs of discomfort and frowned when his son grimaced. "I'm so sorry you got hurt, buddy. I should have moved that wagon out to the garage."

The toddler reached out to grab Gibbs' hand; bringing it closer to his mouth he kissed it. Gibbs melted at the sweet gesture from his boy, leaning down to pepper his face with kisses. Tim giggled hysterically as his daddy's stubble tickled his baby soft skin.

"How did I get so lucky to have a sweet little baby like you?"

Tim cooed, reaching up to squeeze Gibbs' nose as the older man continued undressing him. Once he was wearing nothing but a diaper Gibbs carefully picked him up, carrying him back to the bathroom. By the time they returned the tub was filled with a generous amount of water and bubbles. Tim squealed excitedly as Gibbs sat down on the edge of the tub to test the water temperature. Satisfied it wasn't too hot he unfastened each side of Tim's diaper and plopped him down in the water. The little guy sighed as the warm water caressed his sore little body. Retrieving the bath toys from the storage container Gibbs dropped them in and gingerly sank down onto the floor. The two played for a while; stacking bubbles, racing boats and squirting each other with water. It was very peaceful and relaxing, something the two of them had missed over the past couple of weeks. When Tim started looking like a prune Gibbs quickly washed his hair and the rest of his body. As they were finishing Tim was yawning and eager to get out. Wrapping the toddler in a towel Gibbs carried him down to his room and finished drying him off. As he worked he examined the thin red/purple line that was visible across his chest.

"That wagon sure did a number on you, kiddo."

"Yesh," Tim mumbled around his thumb that had crept slowly up to his mouth.

"Don't worry daddy will get you all fixed up."

Grabbing the ibuprofen from the nightstand he checked the dosage, filled the syringe and muttered, "How about you take your thumb out of your mouth so I can give you some medicine?"

Tim gave him a skeptical look. The last time his daddy gave him medicine it tasted yucky and he didn't want to ever taste it again. Gibbs chuckled; he'd seen that look on his son's face before and knew exactly what he was thinking. "It's bubblegum flavor, Timmy. I promise that you've had it before and liked it."

The toddler hesitantly opened his mouth as Gibbs ruffled his hair and inserted the syringe into his mouth. As the older man administered the medication he cooed, "You're taking it like a champ, kiddo. Daddy is so proud of you." Tim swallowed the rest of the ibuprofen, licking his lips once Gibbs had removed the syringe from his mouth. "See I told you that you'd like it. Now let's get you dressed for bed before you catch cold."

Once Tim was diapered and dressed in a warm flannel sleeper Gibbs picked him up and placed him on the floor. "I'm going to run downstairs and get you a bottle. Don't get into any trouble while I'm gone, sweetie."

Surprisingly, Tim blew him a kiss as he walked out the door and down the stairs. He knew Iris offered to make Tim a bottle, but she'd had a long day and it was important that she relax. When he made it downstairs he smirked at the sight of Iris asleep on the couch. Quietly he padded into the kitchen, filled a bottle with milk and popped it into the microwave. While the microwave was running he returned to the family room and covered Iris with a blanket. He assumed Ezra would wake her when he returned from his walk or perhaps leave her until morning. Returning to the kitchen he grabbed the bottle and climbed the stairs back to Tim's room. When he returned to the room Tim was lying on his side, legs tucked into his chest with his thumb in his mouth.

"Hey sweetie I think it's time for bed. You want to come cuddle with Daddy in his room?"

Tim lazily rolled onto his back, reaching his arms up to be collected by the older man. Crouching down Gibbs gathered the toddler in his arms, "C'mon big boy."

After retreating to Gibbs' room the youngster nursed from the bottle while the older man completed his night time routine. By the time Gibbs was done and had returned to the bedroom Tim was almost asleep. After switching on the bedside lamp he gathered the little guy in his arms and turned off the bedroom light. Tim snuffled softly as Gibbs adjusted him in his arms, adamant the position be comfortable for his son. With one fell swoop he peeled away the bedding and lay down on the bed, taking Tim's injury into consideration. Once Tim appeared comfortable and snuggled closer to his daddy, the nipple of the bottle was reinserted into his mouth.

"Sleep well, baby." Gibbs whispered as his thumb rubbed comforting circles on Tim's forehead. It didn't take long for the little guy to fall asleep and once Gibbs had removed the bottle from Tim's grasp he was content to watch his son sleep. He studied the toddler's face, enjoying the way his nose wrinkled, brow furrowed or the occasional smirk while he was sleeping. It often made him wonder what Tim was dreaming about to garner those types of reactions. Eventually he found his eyes growing heavy as he swallowed yawn after yawn and decided it was best to sleep in case Tim needed him during the night. When he reached to turn the lamp off the toddler burrowed closer, tucking his head underneath Gibbs' chin.

"Lub u dada." Tim mumbled groggily.

"I love you too, son. You're one of the best things that's ever happened to me."

Placing a kiss to the top of Tim's head Gibbs followed him into a deep sleep.

XXX

The following morning Gibbs was awakened by one of his favorite scents - coffee. Blearily glancing at the clock he rubbed his eyes in disbelief, realizing it was after 9am. Tim was still sleeping soundly so he threw on his robe, grabbed the baby monitor and headed downstairs. He couldn't believe that he'd slept this late; he'd planned on making breakfast for Iris and Ezra before they went to meet Andrea. As he approached the last step the smell of fresh coffee, bacon and eggs made his taste buds tingle with anticipation. Iris must have heard him coming downstairs because she met him with a piping hot mug of java.

"Good morning, Jethro. Did you sleep well?"

"Good morning. Apparently I slept too well." He shook the baby monitor and continued, "Timmy is still sawing logs." Taking a sip of coffee he added, "I was planning on cooking breakfast this morning, but from the smell of it you've already started."

Iris blushed furiously, "I'm sorry, my dear. I had trouble sleeping last night and I was up early. I needed to do something to keep me busy and cooking is a way for me to relieve stress. Please don't be mad."

"I could never be mad at you. I understand that we all deal with stress and uncertainty in different ways. Remind me later to show you the basement where I do all my woodworking. I appreciate you cooking breakfast, but after this morning I don't want you doing any more housework." He winked and continued, "You got it?"

"I'll do my best, Jethro. Ooh, I need to get back to the bacon before it burns!"

Gibbs followed her into the kitchen, sipping on his coffee as he walked. "What can I do to help?"

"You could put some bread in the toaster. The bacon is almost done and Ezra should be back from his walk at any moment." She chuckled, adding, "My husband is in love with Jet. If you're not careful he might try and take him home with us. Ezra isn't the best at sharing his feelings." Sighing, she continued, "I'm sure Jet has been a good listener over the past 12 hours."

Grabbing the bread out of the refrigerator Gibbs popped a few slices in the toaster and pushed the lever down. While the bread was toasting he gathered plates and silverware from the cupboard and began setting the table. He could tell Iris was anxious about reuniting with Andrea. The older woman didn't seem quite herself this morning.

"You feel like talking about it?"

Startled, Iris waved her hand at him and said, "Oh, no dear you've done more for me and Ezra than we could have ever imagined. Besides I'm not sure you'll understand my concerns."

Gibbs raised his eyebrows slightly as he shrugged his shoulders. "Try me. I guarantee you that all the anxiety you're feeling is normal."

Iris flipped the bacon, clucking her tongue when she realized it was crispier than she preferred. Taking a deep breath she turned to Gibbs, "You know it's funny, I've been waiting over twenty years to have this reunion with my daughter and now that the time has arrived I don't know if I can go through with it."

"Two weeks..."

A confused look appeared on her face, "I'm sorry dear, but I'm not quite following what you're trying to say."

"It took Andrea two weeks to decide if she wanted to meet with the two of you. I want you to know that you're not the only person who is terrified of this reunion. The only difference is that Andrea has had time to think about the problems that need addressing and you have not." Gibbs sighed, "My dad showed up on my doorstep a few days before Christmas wanting to apologize for the way he'd treated me and Tim. At first all I wanted was for him to go back to Stillwater and not ruin Christmas. However, after my blood pressure started to subside I thought back to the conversation we had after my father had been so cruel. If it wasn't for you encouraging me to make amends and forgive I don't think I would have given him the opportunity. You told me that you would give anything to see Andrea again - be a part of her life. Now you're being given that opportunity and you'd regret it for the rest of your life if you don't take it."

Iris patted Gibbs' face and huffed, "What if I say the wrong thing? What if after our meeting she decides not to be a part of our lives?"

"That's a lot of what if's, Iris. I'm not saying it'll be easy, but won't the unknown be worse than a few misspoken words?"

She thought about that for a moment. Of course she wanted to meet with her daughter and eventually her grandchildren, but it was all happening too fast.

"I suppose you're right, Jethro. I really want to reconnect and I need to stop worrying about the past and look toward the future."

Gibbs wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his chest and kissing the top of her head, "That's exactly right. Sometimes we build stuff up in our heads and then when the time comes we realize it was all for naught. Please remember that you and Ezra will always have a place in our family." The older woman hugged him tightly as a small cry emanated over the baby monitor. Pulling away from his embrace she chuckled, "It sounds like my grandson is awake. You go take care of him while I finish breakfast. I'll fix a bottle for him as well."

"You're too good to us!" Gibbs exclaimed as he padded out of the kitchen and climbed the stairs. When he reached the top he heard the front door open as Jet came bounding in from outside followed closely by Ezra. He waved at the older man and said, "Good morning! I'm going to get Timmy and we'll be down in a few to join you for breakfast."

When he entered the bedroom he didn't expect to see Tim lying on his stomach with his tiny feet dangling over the edge of the bed. Quickly swooping in to prevent another injury he gave Tim's bottom a few gentle pats. "What do you think you're doing, son? We already had one accident last night and daddy doesn't want you to get hurt again."

Tim flashed his puppy dog eyes he was beginning to use all too often on the older man. Gibbs laughed as he carried the toddler into his room for a diaper change. "You know, kid, you've got that look down pat."

Tim batted his long eyelashes and grinned. He knew exactly which buttons to push to make his daddy melt. Ruffling the little guy's hair Gibbs mumbled, "You're doing it again, sweetie." The youngster giggled as the older man lay him down and unzipped his sleeper. Carefully examining the bruise he ran his fingertips over Tim's skin. "Does that hurt, buddy?"

The little guy furrowed his brow, obviously still in pain from the wagon incident. "I'm sorry, Timmy." Gibbs sighed, leaning down to kiss his son's injury. "I'll give you another dose of medication after we eat breakfast and I'll have Grandpa Ducky look at it tonight when everyone comes over for New Year's Eve."

An enormous grin appeared on Tim's face when he heard his aunts, uncles and Grandpa would be visiting later on. The Palmers had also accepted an invitation because they missed Christmas and everyone was warned not to mention Tim's regression in front of the Kleins. Gibbs chuckled at Tim's response, "I knew you'd be excited to hear everyone would be here!"

"Howsey?"

"I'll bet Uncle Tony or Uncle Jimmy would be willing to help you ride your new horse. We have to wait and see what Grandpa Ducky says about your boo boo first though."

"Kay Dada."

After finishing Tim's diaper change the pair retreated back downstairs where Ezra and Iris were waiting to start eating. Once Jet was fed and Tim was securely fastened in the highchair they dug in with gusto. As they ate they discussed the dinner plans for that night - Gibbs would be grilling his famous cowboy steaks along with a variety of side dishes. The Kleins were excited to meet the rest of the family and Gibbs gave them background information on all the guests. They had a leisurely breakfast, enjoying each other's company and by the time they finished with the third pot of coffee it was nearly 11. While Ezra took Tim into the family room to play, Gibbs washed the dishes whereas Iris hopped in the shower. By the time Iris had finished in the shower Gibbs was done with the dishes and took the little guy upstairs to get ready for the day. He figured they would lounge around the house and take it easy before the busy night ahead. After finishing with their morning routine Gibbs started a fire and popped in a movie. Tim had just settled comfortably in his arms when the Kleins emerged, both appearing anxious.

"Don't worry you two. All the anxiety and nerves you're feeling will fall by the wayside once you see Andrea."

Ezra huffed as he retrieved their coats from the closest. "I sure hope you're right, Jethro."

"My famous gut is telling me that everything will work out fine. You'll have plenty of happy things to talk about when you get back. I'm excited for the both of you!"

Tim whimpered when he realized the couple was getting ready to leave and extended his arms in their direction. Iris took notice and scooped him up in her arms. After smothering him with kisses she whispered in his ear, "You be a good boy for your daddy while we're gone, okay?" The youngster nodded shyly, whispering, "Lub u Gwama."

"Aww sweetie, I love you, too!" She paused and turned to Gibbs, adding, "Such a sweet little boy you're raising."

Gibbs beamed proudly at his son. "He's definitely a charmer; we'll probably have girls calling here all the time once he gets older."

The older man ruffled Tim's hair and smiled, "We'll see you when we get back kiddo."

Tim flashed a mostly toothless grin, stretching his arms in Ezra's direction. "Lub u Gwapa." The older man leaned in for a quick hug, "I love you too, buddy."

Clearing his throat Gibbs fished the directions out of his pocket, handing them over to Ezra. "It's about a twenty minute drive so you might want to get going. Even though it's a holiday it's possible you'll run into traffic."

Ezra precariously grabbed the directions while Iris deposited Tim back on Gibbs' lap. "Wish us luck and thanks again Jethro for making this happen."

"It was my pleasure. I can't wait to hear all about it when you return. If you get lost you have my cell number." The couple smiled and nodded as they bundled up and headed out the front door for a reunion that was well overdue.