Ziva arrived in the bullpen at the same time Tony was sitting down at his desk. She nodded at him and noticed he had a tray of hot beverages along with a bag of pastries. Sniffing the air she sat down at her desk, "Smells delicious, did you bring enough for the entire team?"

"Maybe, depends on if you plan on being nice to me today."

Standing up she walked over to his desk and snagged the bag away from him as he attempted to hold it as far away from her as possible.

"Hey!" He whined as she opened the bag and took a deep whiff.

"I brought the pastries; I should get first dibs."

"You are right, Tony. Which one would you like?"

While Tony discussed the pros and cons of choosing the Bear Claw over the Cinnamon Roll and vice versa, Ziva rolled her eyes as her patience wore thin. Snatching the Bear Claw out of the bag she took a bite and handed the bag back to him, "You can stop debating on which one to choose, I did it for you."

He looked up as he finished doctoring his coffee and yelped when he saw she was half way through the Bear Claw.

"Hey, that's not fair!"

"Sometimes life is not fair, Tony."

Scoffing in disappointment he removed the Cinnamon Roll from the bag and began eating. Grabbing her tea from the tray, Ziva went back to her desk and polished off the last few bites of the delectable treat. "Thank you, Tony. That was the best bear hoof I have ever had."

Running his fingers through his hair, Tony sighed, "Bear Claw, Ziva. It's called a Bear claw."

"Bear claw... bear hoof...really what is the difference?"

Tony shook his head; he could have this argument with her all day long. Deciding to change the subject he asked, "Where's Boss? It's not fair how parents use their kids as an excuse to leave work early or come in late."

Ziva sat there smiling, fully aware that their commander in chief had just finished wandering down the stairs and heard Tony complaining. The look on her face said it all and Tony winced as he slowly turned around and was greeted by an angry glare from Gibbs.

"Oh, hey, Boss." He chuckled nervously, "I didn't mean you would ever do that. I uh brought you a coffee and there's an extra pastry if you want one."

Gibbs continued staring at him, his arms folded across his chest. He enjoyed watching Tony squirm under his gaze so he stood there for another moment before giving his Senior Field Agent a well deserved smack to the back of the head. Tony yelped as Gibbs' hand connected with his noggin and decided it would be best for him to lay low for a while. Turning on his computer, he stuffed the remaining cinnamon roll in his mouth hoping it would keep him from saying anything else stupid, at least for the next few minutes. Grabbing the coffee off DiNozzo's desk, Gibbs took a sip and was surprised at how good it was. It was almost, almost as good as the coffee from his favorite diner, but he would never tell Tony that.

"How did Timmy do once you left the daycare?"

He looked up to see Ziva studying him closely. She knew something was bothering him, something bigger than dropping Tim off at daycare for the first time. Apparently becoming a daddy again and the possibility of losing baby Timmy had stirred up all these emotions that had been tucked away for the past twenty years. It had only been about an hour since he'd dropped Tim off, but he already missed him terribly. Once he'd received the news that the Admiral was dying and the McGees were looking for Tim he wanted to run in, scoop him up in his arms and run, far, far away. He was terrified of losing the one person who had brought such happiness into his life again.

When she didn't receive an answer, Ziva could tell Gibbs was deep in thought confirming her suspicions that there was indeed something bothering him. She imagined that dropping Tim off at daycare wasn't easy for either of them, but whatever was weighing heavily on him now was something much deeper. Since he'd returned from the daycare, Gibbs had an almost panicked look on his face. One she had only witnessed a few times during her time at NCIS. Glancing over at Tony she nodded slightly in Gibbs' direction; he returned the nod letting her know she wasn't the only one who suspected something was wrong.

Shaking his head as if to clear it, he spoke softly, "Sorry Zeever, what was the question?"

"That is okay, Gibbs. I was merely curious as to how Timmy did once you left him? I noticed they have a one-way mirror like we do in interrogation so you can check in on your little one without them seeing you."

He gave her a small smile, "It took a while for him to get comfortable and I wouldn't say he was thrilled to be there. I convinced Mrs. Mary to get some paint out and let the kids go at it. When I left Tim was deep into his work." He paused and then laughed, "You should have seen him. He had a paintbrush in each hand and this serious look on his face, reminiscent of when he was working his computer magic. I told him I needed artwork for my cubicle and some for home so he was more focused on that than me leaving."

Noticing the look of disappointment on both his agent's faces he laughed, "Don't worry, I'm sure Tim will paint each of us a special picture."

Tony couldn't contain a smile as the corners of his mouth curled up. "About time we spice it up around here. There are these bright orange walls, but other than that it's pretty drab around here. I for one can't wait to hang up my painting up from Tim."

Gibbs nodded and swallowed past the lump in his throat. He certainly wouldn't be the only person who would be devastated if the outcome of a meeting with the McGees did not go well. As much as it pained him and as much as he felt differently, legally Tim was not his son. He needed to talk to someone who would give it to him straight, listen to his explanations but also play the devil's advocate. Digging his phone out of his pocket he hit the speed dial and was relieved to hear the voice on the other end.

"Jethro, what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Hey Duck, was wondering if you would like to take a trip down to the café with me?"

Upon hearing Gibbs' voice, Ducky knew something was bothering the younger man. "Of course, Mr. Palmer is perfectly capable of handling things around here. I could use some exercise, bundle up my friend it's quite windy out there today. I'll meet you downstairs in a few."

"Sounds good, thanks." Gibbs ended the call, stood up and slipped on his coat. "I'm going for coffee with Ducky. The daycare has my number if they need anything."

Tony and Ziva nodded as Gibbs walked past their desks and towards the elevator. The two agents shot each other worried glances and were startled when Gibbs stopped and looked back at them. "Instead of spending the entire time I'm gone wondering what's bothering me, get to work on those reports I'm missing from the Layton case."

Tony shot him a finger gun gesture and ducked his head, pretending he was getting back to work. As the elevator doors closed he looked over at Ziva.

"Boss called Ducky for coffee? Whatever is bothering him must be major."

"Ya think, DiNozzo?" Ziva replied mimicking Gibbs and then set forth on getting her report done.

Leaning back in his chair, Tony sipped on his coffee. "What do you think it could be? Something to do with Timmy?"

Sighing, Ziva looked up from her keyboard, "Right now it is none of your business DiNosy! When Gibbs wants us to know then we will know. I know it is hard for you, but give the man some privacy for once!"

"I'm an investigator, Ziva. It's what I do." He paused and picked up the phone, "I wonder if Jimmy knows anything."

"I give up." Ziva shook her head and sighed before getting back to work.

The morning rush had emptied out the café and only a few patrons were scattered throughout the cozy little shop. After ordering their drinks they chose a table near the roaring fire and sat down.

Slipping the tea bag into his cup, Ducky took a sip and hummed causing Gibbs to raise his eyebrows slightly. "What?" The older man asked as he took another sip and wrapped his hands around the cup in an attempt to warm them.

Gibbs shook his head and sighed deeply, "Ah, nothing, Duck. I've just been thinking."

"I can practically hear the wheels turning from here, Jethro. Is everything all right with our dear boy? How did his drop off at daycare go this morning?"

"He's fine." Gibbs paused as he took a sip of coffee. "For now."

Ducky lightly put his hand on the younger man's arm and squeezed, "What do you mean, for now? Jethro, many youngsters attend daycare or school, of course the first few days are tough on both parent and child but eventually they settle in and are fine."

"Had a meeting with Vance this morning. The Admiral is on his death bed and the McGees are wondering about Tim's whereabouts."

"Oh." Ducky nodded solemnly, studying his friend's face trying to gauge what he was thinking. "What did Vance tell them?"

"He told me he could stall, but for how long remains to be seen. The Admiral could die at any time now. What am I going to do Duck?"

"You're asking me, Jethro? The one thing I've always admired about you my boy is that you're never afraid to stand up for what you believe is right and face situations head on. Do you believe that Timmy belongs with you instead of his mother?"

Gibbs pounded his fist on the arm of the chair and growled. "Of course I do! I'm going to tell you what I told Vance earlier, the Admiral was a terrible father to Tim when he was growing up and it's only been recently since he's been ill that he wants reconciliation. As far as Tim's mother, in my opinion she's not much better. This is my chance to give that little boy the childhood he should have had thirty years ago."

"Jethro, you've been a wonderful father and caretaker to our dear Timothy, but do me a favor and put yourself in his mother's position right now. The father or so-called father of your two kids is on his deathbed. Besides that you've been trying to get in contact with your son who has a dangerous job with NCIS. You don't know if he's dead or injured and the 'higher ups' at his job have no information for you. How would that make you feel?"

"Pissed off, scared, demanding answers... I could go on and on Duck. Is there a point to all this? "

"You damn well know there is, Jethro. I understood you not wanting to inform the family while we waited to see if Timothy was going to be transformed back, but now that hope appears dashed, it's only right to enlighten them of what happened. Were you planning on running away and taking him with you?"

"That thought had crossed my mind."

Ducky chuckled, "I wouldn't put it past you. We need to come up with a plan, let the family see Tim in his current state and give them some peace of mind. Although I'm not entirely sure how they'll react when they see he's a baby. I'm concerned this could be disastrous; he's become so attached to you and thinks of you as his father. We don't even know if Tim is going to remember them or not."

Sighing as he ran his fingers through his hair, Gibbs nodded, "Blood or not, I consider Tim my son. We need to make this as painless as possible for all parties involved and here's what I have in mind..."

Ziva picked up her report from the printer and laid it on Gibbs' desk. Startled as his desk phone began ringing she looked over at Tony.

"Should we answer it?"

Tony chuckled, "Do you have a death wish? If it's someone important they'll call his cell phone."

"What if it is the daycare and they have already tried his cell phone? Tim feels comfortable with us; maybe we can help out until we can get hold of Gibbs."

The Senior Field Agent chewed on his bottom lip; he understood her point and if Tim needed one of them and he didn't answer he would never forgive himself. If it wasn't the daycare and he incurred the wrath of Gibbs later on, then so be it. Jumping out of his seat he darted across the bullpen and picked up the phone.

"Agent Gibbs' desk, the Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo speaking."

"This is Agent Gibbs' desk? Why didn't he answer the phone?"

Tony cleared his throat, "Ma'am he's currently out of the office. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Probably not young man, this is Mary from the daycare." She paused and then continued, "Never mind I'll try Agent Gibbs on his cell pho..."

"Wait...wait...wait is there a problem with Timmy? I consider him to be my baby brother will you please tell me what's going on?"

Mary sighed, "The poor baby needs a diaper change, but will not allow me to do it. I'm afraid if I let him sit for too much longer he'll develop a rash."

"Well you happen to be in luck; Tim will allow me to do it. I'm sorry I didn't catch your name?"

"My name is Mary; we'll see you in a few minutes Agent DiNozzo."

Hanging up the phone Tony turned to Ziva, "It appears our little Timmy is in need of a change but won't let the workers at the daycare take care of it. You stay here in case Gibbs comes back and I'll go take care of the little guy."

While Tony headed to the elevator, Ziva sat down and leaned back in her chair grateful for the peace and quiet she would receive with both Tony and Gibbs gone.

Stepping off the elevator, Tony heard the muffled chaos of what seemed to be thousands of children. Walking over to the one-way mirror he peeked inside the room and was relieved when there only appeared to be about eight kids. He'd become accustomed to dealing with Timmy and was much more comfortable around kids than he had been a few years ago, but he always had that fear in the back of his mind. Taking a deep breath he opened the door and spotted Tim in the corner sucking his thumb while clutching Hero against his chest. His attention was so focused on Tim that he didn't realize that Mary was standing next to him until she tapped him on the shoulder.

"You must be Agent DiNozzo; I'm Mary we spoke on the phone."

Taking her extended hand he shook it, "You can call me Tony. So Timmy has had a rough morning?"

She shook her head, "No, actually he's done quite well. We painted and he played with some of the other kids but when it came time to change him he screamed bloody murder and was crying for his daddy. It's the strangest thing; I can't put my finger on it."

If you only knew the whole story, lady. Tony thought as he looked over at the little guy who had now spotted him from across the room.

"Toey?" Tim mumbled around the thumb in his mouth as a fresh batch of tears streamed down his face.

"Shh kiddo. I'll be right there."

"You can take Tim into the other room and have some privacy if you wish. Might be easier to calm him down that way. Why don't you go tend to him and I'll bring the supplies you need into the other room."

Tony nodded and made his way over to where Tim cowered in the corner of the room. He knelt down in front of him and wiped the hair from his face, "Want to come to Tony, big guy?"

Tim sniffled and his breathing hitched as he extended his arms and waited to be picked up. Tony cuddled him against his chest as Tim swung his arms around his neck and buried his face against Tony's shoulder. Soothingly running his hand up and down Tim's back he followed Mary to the second room. Even though he was sure that the little guy really wanted Gibbs, he needed to make the best of the situation. He'd watched Gibbs comfort Tim a million times before and there was no way he was letting either of them down. Taking a seat in the rocking chair he kissed Tim's temple and whispered, "Hey buddy, your daddy had to run an errand will you let me change you?"

There was some hesitation but once he felt Tim nod against his neck he laid him on the changing table, grabbed the handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped his tear stained face. "There, that's better. " He soothed and tapped him gently on the nose. Tony made a variety of faces as he unbuttoned Tim's jeans and slipped them off. Tim's giggles were contagious and he soon found himself laughing hysterically. They quickly stopped though as the cold baby wipes came in contact with Tim's delicate skin.

"Sorry kiddo. I'm almost done with the wipes." Tony reassured him as Tim continued to whimper and shiver. Sliding the fresh diaper underneath him, Tony quickly taped it up and pulled his jeans back on.

"All done, Timbo." Tony announced as he picked the toddler up and sat back down in the rocking chair. Cradling him in his arms he kissed Tim's forehead and started rocking, unaware that someone was watching them from the door.

"Hi, I'm Kaylee, you must be Agent DiNozzo."

Looking up, Tony took in the beautiful blonde woman leaning casually against the doorway. He gave her a small smile then turned his attention back to Tim. "You can call me Tony."

"Well Tony I see that you're really great with kids. Tim seems very comfortable around you."

He chuckled, "Oh, that's only because I've known him for the past ten years."

Kaylee gave him a confused look, "Ten years? How is that possible?"

Realizing he'd just made a giant mistake he attempted to backpedal. "Did I say ten years? He laughed, "You're right that is impossible, what I meant to say was that I've known his dad for ten years. Yeah, that's it."

The young woman raised her eyebrows slightly while Tony held his breath hoping she would stop asking questions.

"O...k...a...y..." She hesitated still unsure of the answer she'd received. "I'm here to inform you that it's lunch time if you want to bring Timmy out to eat."

He nodded and waited until she left the room before looking down at Tim and releasing the breath he'd been holding. Gently pinching Tim's chubby cheeks he sighed, "That was a close one. Want to go eat? "

Tim shook his head and cuddled closer to Tony's chest. "Come on, buddy. You must be hungry, don't worry Uncle Tony will stay with you, how does that sound?"

Knowing the youngster needed to eat Tony didn't wait for a reply. Standing up he moved Tim to his shoulder and gave his bottom a few gentle pats. "C'mon let's go see what your daddy packed for lunch."

Moving out to the main part of the daycare all the kids were already sitting at the table getting started on their lunches. Kaylee motioned for him to bring Tim down to the end of the table and brought an extra chair for him to sit on. Setting the little guy down in his seat, Tony pulled the other chair close and began opening the Tupperware that held Tim's lunch. After tying a bib around his neck, Tony encouraged him to eat by picking up a piece of sandwich and popping it into his mouth. As Tim watched him closely, DiNozzo over exaggerated his chewing, chomping his teeth together as if he were a shark.

"Nom...nom...nom...Gibbs sure knows how to make a mean turkey and cheese!"

Tim giggled; wanting to be like Tony he popped a piece in his mouth and tried to emulate what the older man had just done. Laughing, Tony ruffled his hair, "That's my boy."

What Tony didn't realize was that all the other children in the room had been watching his actions and soon there was a table full of kids who were trying to imitate him. Embarrassed that he'd 'taught' that to the kids he looked over at Mary and Kaylee, "I'm SO sorry; I forgot we had an audience."

Mary patted him on the shoulder, "It's okay. You have to remember though that kids are like sponges. They soak up everything that we as adults do, whether it be our actions, the words we speak or our emotions. I can already tell that you and Timmy are very close and he looks up to you, so the next time you plan on doing something like that, take a moment and ask yourself if that something is what you want him to copy."

Tony sighed and motioned to Kaylee, "See I'm not as good with kids as you thought."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Tony. All of us make mistakes and there will probably be plenty more to come. When you're around the little guy just try to be more aware of the things you do and the words you speak."

Turning back towards Timmy he sighed, "Yeah, I'm afraid that's going to be the hard part."

Arriving back from the café, Gibbs and Ducky rode the elevator together until it stopped at autopsy. As the doors opened and Ducky stepped out he turned around and said, "Don't worry yourself sick over this Jethro. We've come up with a good plan and now all we have to do is carry it out. Show the McGees what a good father you are to our dear Timothy. Call me if you need anything."

"Thanks, Duck....for everything." He offered a small smile to appease the ME, but as the door slid shut it quickly vanished. Flipping the emergency switch he leaned back against the wall and worked to control his breathing as his heart raced. The mere thought of not being able to raise Tim as his own was almost too much for him to tolerate. How could Ducky tell him not to worry when the next few days would decide whether he'd be able to raise Tim or not? How were the McGees going to react when they saw their Timmy who was now a year old toddler? How was Tim going to react when he saw them and the possibility of them being separated from each other and the life that he had become accustomed to? There were so many unanswered questions that he had no control over and the unknown was slowly shredding his heart into pieces. Wiping away a single tear he wrestled with his emotion and flipped the switch.

As the elevator ascended he looked at his watch, it was close to noon and he was anxious to check in with the daycare and see how his little boy did during the first part of the day. He hadn't received any calls while he was gone so he assumed everything was fine.

Stepping off the elevator into the bullpen his cell phone rang. His adrenaline began pumping as he slipped the phone out of his pocket. Glancing at the caller ID he felt his heart drop into his stomach and his hands shook as he flipped open the phone. He could see the top of Ziva's head above her cubicle and realizing he needed privacy, turned to walk the other way.

"Yeah, Gibbs," his voice was shaky as he spoke and he'd hoped whatever Vance had to tell him was manageable news.

"Gibbs, I'm sorry there's no other way to say this but Admiral John McGee passed away a half hour ago."

So much for manageable news Gibbs thought.

"Ah geez! Whom did you hear that from?"

"SecNav called to confirm his passing. There's no more time to avoid the inevitable, Gibbs. The McGees need to be informed as soon as possible otherwise SecNav's going to have both our asses. I hope you have a plan."

Gibbs did indeed have a plan but had hoped he would have a few days to prepare for it. Now it appeared the McGees would be meeting baby Timmy sooner than he anticipated. It was going to take his team time to prepare and he sighed knowing that he would now have to inform Tony and Ziva of what was happening.

"Are Tim's mother and grandmother in town? I would like them to stay at my house for a few days while they make funeral arrangements. I think it would be the best place for them to meet Timmy." He sighed and continued, "Leon I'm asking you to be the point man here, could you let the family know that Tim will be at my house and they're welcome to stay. I have a feeling once they see Timmy they won't want to be anywhere else."

"SecNav mentioned that Penny is in town along with Sarah, but Tim's mother is still in Texas. Apparently she has a flight booked and will be here tomorrow morning. Are you sure you want them to stay at your house? Legally they could just take Tim and leave, what makes you think that's not going to happen?"

Although it had never stopped him before from talking candidly with Vance, Gibbs had to stop himself from flying off the handle and took a couple of deep breaths. Leon had been helpful regarding this entire situation and he would more than likely need his help later on.

"Gibbs you there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. I don't know what's going to happen with Tim's family. I'm hoping they will hear me out before they make any drastic decisions. Please tell them to come for brunch tomorrow around noon. Obviously I'm going to need more time off and I'd like my team to be taken off duty for the next week so they can help me with the McGees."

"All right but I'm going to need Dr. Mallard and Ms. Sciuto to be on call. They're free to come and go as they please but if a case arises I'm going to need them to help out. Since it's been slow, DiNozzo and David will be given the entire week off, but no matter the outcome on this I need you all back here next week."

"Thanks, Leon. I appreciate it. You're more than welcome to join us for brunch tomorrow. In fact the more people the McGees know that Tim has in his life caring about him the better. I'm going to go home and I'm taking my team with me."

"Very well, Gibbs. I'm going to make some calls and I'll let you know later on what I hear from the McGees. I hope they'll accept your invitation and we can get this all straightened out."

"Me too, thanks again for your help."

After ending his conversation with Vance, Gibbs quickly called Ducky and told him the news. Ducky was concerned for his old friend, he could already tell from their conversation at the café that Gibbs was barely hanging on. The team leader had already been through enough hurt in his life and the thought of losing Tim was weighing heavily on his heart. He agreed to bring Abby and Jimmy over so they could begin preparing for the McGees arrival.

Hanging up from Ducky, Gibbs walked back to the bullpen and looked around. Ziva was at her desk but Tony was nowhere to be found.

"Where's DiNozzo?"

Startled, Ziva looked up from the cold case she was working on. "You scared me, Gibbs. Is everything all right?" She could tell by the look on his face and body language that he was far from it. His face was pale, shoulders slumped and he appeared to be a little shaky.

"Tony is up at the daycare. They called your desk phone and he answered, concerned it could be about Tim. He is okay, Gibbs." Watching him exhale in relief she continued, "Tim needed a diaper change, but would not let any of the workers do it for him. We did not think we needed to bother you since it was something small like that."

Gibbs nodded, "We have a change in plans. Vance took us off the rotation for the week but I'm going to need all hands on deck to help Timmy and me. I'm going to get them and then we'll meet at my house."

"What is wrong?" Ziva's heart fluttered anxiously and she knew whatever the problem was it was important enough to dismiss them from work for the week.

"I'll tell you later Zeever, when we have the whole team together."

And with that he disappeared to the elevator as she sat pondering what could be so significant that the entire team needed to help.

He entered the daycare as they were cleaning up from lunch. Mary came out of the staff break room and laid her hand on Gibbs' shoulder as he stood at a distance watching Tony and Tim.

"Agent Gibbs, you just couldn't stay away, could you?"

"When I heard my Senior Field Agent was up here changing diapers I thought I should probably check on him. That's not the only reason why I'm here though." Pausing he thought about what explanation he should give her for Tim's absence for the next week or possibly forever. Swallowing past the lump in his throat he leaned in closer and whispered, "There's been a death in the family and I need to leave right away. I'll be out for the entire week so that means Timmy might not be back until next week." God he hoped he was telling the truth and he'd be able to continue raising his baby.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Agent Gibbs. By all means feel free to collect Tim and leave. He did really well this morning until it came time to change his diaper. I've never seen a kid pitch a fit like he did. Any idea as to where that comes from?"

Of course Gibbs knew where it came from, but there was no way in hell he could tell Mary that. If the fates aligned - he couldn't believe he was thinking that - and he was able to continue raising Tim then he would work with the toddler and get him comfortable with other people changing his diaper.

"I suppose it comes from me and Tony being the only people who have ever changed him before."

"Oh, you're not married?" Mary questioned surprisingly and blushed. "I'm sorry that's none of my business. Forget I even asked it."

"It's okay. Believe me I'm not oblivious to the fact that I have a one year old and am getting up there in age myself."

"So you and Agent DiNozzo have raised Timmy together?"

"God no! No, no, no we are not a couple. Tony's been on my team for the past ten years and he's become close with Timmy. That is all."

Mary nodded, "Excuse me for my curiosity. As far as the diaper changing we'll work through it." She motioned to where Tony was feeding Tim his bottle as they snuggled together in the rocking chair. "It's evident that Timmy has a very strong bond with you as well as Agent DiNozzo. The young man is very good with him."

Gibbs couldn't help but smile as he watched the two interact with each other. He knew there and then that if he died before Tim was of legal age he'd want Tony to be given full parental custody.

"Yes, he is. Now if you'll excuse me I really need to be going."

"Of course, I'll gather Tim's things for you."

As Mary went about packing up the diaper bag and getting Tim's outerwear, Gibbs weaved his way through an array of Legos and baby dolls scattered around on the floor. Reaching Tony and Tim he cleared his throat and smiled as they looked up to see him standing there.

"DADA!" Timmy squealed in delight, grinning ear to ear as milk dribbled down his chin.

A mixture of joy and fear came over Gibbs as he stared down at his sweet little boy. He was so relieved to have Tim in his possession and he'd truly missed him during the past four hours. However, that joy was replaced by fear when he remembered they might only have a few days left together as father and son. Picking the youngster up, he held him tight as Tim buried his face against Gibbs' neck and whispered, "Mished u dada."

"I love you, Timmy. Don't ever forget that, okay? You ready to go home, partner?"

Tony was unsure if he'd heard Gibbs correctly. Why was he taking Tim home when it wasn't even close to quitting time? "Boss, everything okay? Did you ask Tim if he was ready to go home?"

"Yeah, I did DiNozzo and you're coming wi..." Gibbs was interrupted as Mary approached with Tim's coat and hat. Still confused, Tony accepted the diaper bag and flung it over his shoulder while Gibbs managed to wrestle Tim's jacket onto him. Safely ensconced in Gibbs' arms, Tim took the bottle from Tony and began sucking while the two men thanked the workers and headed out.

The ride back downstairs was quiet except for the gurgling and slurping noises coming from Tim as he contentedly sucked on the bottle. When they reached the bullpen, Ziva was waiting at her desk with her bag and her coat already on. Tony exchanged worried glances with her and she shrugged her shoulders. She didn't know anything more about what was going on than he did.

Gibbs handed Tim off to Ziva, while he powered down his computer and put on his coat and gloves. Tony hurried to shut down his own workstation and was putting on his coat when Gibbs grabbed the diaper bag from his desk and shouldered it. Taking Tim from Ziva's arms they all headed for the elevator. Tim had finished off the bottle and was nodding off as they approached the parking garage. Tony and Ziva followed Gibbs to his car and while he buckled Tim into the car seat he spoke, "We're headed to my house, and once we get there I'll tell you what's going on."

They nodded and headed to their separate cars, anxious to hear the upcoming news. Pulling out of the parking garage, Gibbs peeked in the rearview mirror and was relieved to see Tim was asleep. The sunshine on his little boy's face made him appear as if he was a cherub. He looked so peaceful with his curly blonde hair, chubby cheeks and pouty bottom lip. Shaking his head Gibbs concentrated on driving even though he felt like his heart had been ripped out and stomped on. He chuckled as he thought that if there were a good time to 'run away' with his sweet little boy now would be it. Since there was no traffic it wasn't too long before they were arriving home. Ducky, Jimmy and Abby were waiting in the driveway and as Gibbs pulled in they got out of the car. Tony and Ziva pulled up not too long after and they waited at the front door while Gibbs got Tim out of the car. Funneling into the house, Tony let a very excited doggy Jethro outside while Jimmy and Ducky started a fire. Abby and Ziva helped Gibbs slip Tim out of his coat with minimal fuss as he allowed his daddy's soothing hand to lull him back to sleep. Gathering around the fire, Gibbs quickly glanced at all the members of his team. He could tell they were all worried and he wasn't sure how they would take the news. Always one to cut to the chase he cleared his throat and spoke.

"I know you're all wondering what we are doing here now and what's been bothering me today." They nodded together and waited for him to continue. Gibbs rubbed small circles on Tim's back, needing to feel the connection as his little one slept peacefully in his arms.

"After I dropped Tim off at daycare, Vance called me into his office to tell me that John McGee had been admitted to the hospital and the McGees were looking for Tim. He attempted to stall them while Ducky and I worked out a plan. As soon as we got back from the café I got another call informing me that John McGee had passed away."

Abby gasped as tears filled her eyes. Tony put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "So sor sorry I I don't know why I'm cry crying." She sniffled.

Gibbs took a deep breath, "That's not all. Since the McGees are looking for Tim and are starting to believe he's hurt or injured it is time to explain to them about what happened with the Greys and his regression. I don't know how they'll react, but it's safe to say it probably will not be well."

Jimmy raised his hand and when Gibbs nodded at him, he spoke, "When and where are they planning on meeting Timmy?"

"I suggested Jethro invite them to stay here while they're in town to deal with the funeral arrangements."

When Tony and Ziva started to protest, Gibbs put his hand up to stop them. Huffing they both closed their mouths and waited for Ducky to continue.

"As I was saying, it's possible the McGees will want to take Tim and raise him again. Legally he is their son and can do that. My hope is that once they see Jethro and Tim together and how much they've bonded then we can figure out some sort of arrangements."

The severity of the situation slowly sunk in with each team member and an eerie silence rained down upon the room. Giving them a moment to collect their thoughts, Gibbs continued with the plan, "We can't lose Timmy so I'm going to need all of your help. They will be here tomorrow for brunch so Abby and Ziva I was wondering if you could help prepare that. You did such a wonderful job cooking dinner together for us a few weeks ago I was hoping you could do it. I'll give you my credit card to buy groceries."

Both women glanced at each other and smiled, "Of course, Gibbs. We would be happy to help. I have a few breakfast casseroles from my neighbor Deb I have wanted to try."

"Sounds good, Ziva."

Turning towards Ducky, Jimmy and Tony he said, "I've wanted to get my guest bedroom cleaned up and use that as Timmy's room. I'll worry about painting it another time, but if you could move the crib from my bedroom and get the changing table assembled that would be a big help."

"Of course, Boss."

"Sure, Agent Gibbs."

My pleasure, Jethro."

Armed with their marching orders, the three men went to work on Timmy's room while Ziva and Abby went into the kitchen to start on a grocery list. Leaning back against the couch, Gibbs snuggled close to his boy and listened to him breathe. He was feeling a bit better now that the secret was out and he had the support of his team. There was nothing better in the world than being a father, whether it was the short amount of time he had with Kelly or the even shorter amount of time he'd had with Tim. All he could do now was hope he could convince the McGees that Tim was better off with him. Failure was not an option because for him living without Tim wouldn't be living at all.