The next morning Ducky peeked into Gibbs' room and smiled at the heartwarming sight. Father and son lay facing each other with Tim's face buried against the older man's chest. Gibbs had his arm wrapped protectively around the toddler and was snoring softly. It appeared Tim had finally settled into a peaceful sleep after experiencing nightmares throughout the night. When he'd heard the first blood-curdling scream shortly after midnight he'd raced upstairs to find Tim sobbing and shaking while Gibbs attempted to console him. When they finally were able to get him back to sleep he would wake up shortly after, terrified and clinging to Gibbs. Ducky had offered to sit with the youngster and soothe him so Gibbs could get some sleep, but Timmy only wanted his daddy. He couldn't blame him after all the stress and anxiety he'd been through earlier that day. All they could do was reassure Timmy that Gibbs was there and neither of them was going anywhere.

Quietly shutting the door he padded downstairs and debated whether to get some more sleep or scrounge up breakfast. After checking the time, Ducky decided on the latter and headed into the kitchen. Poking through the refrigerator his mouth watered when he remembered all the leftovers from brunch. Finally deciding on the French toast casserole, he preheated the oven and foraged through the cupboards looking for an oven safe dish. He thought about reheating the entire casserole, but decided against it because he wasn't sure when the others would wake up. Ducky was surprised at the amount of cookware Gibbs had, but then remembered his friend had been doing more cooking since becoming a father again. Satisfied with a small aluminum pan, he dished a portion of casserole into it and set it aside. He hummed with delight as he licked the crumbs off his fingers. Opting for tea, he filled the teapot and fired up the burner, deciding to hold off on making coffee because he wanted Gibbs to sleep and knew the smell would awaken him immediately. Once the oven signaled it was ready, he inserted the casserole and set the timer. Seeing yesterday's newspaper on the table, he walked to the front door, opened it and snagged the paper off the front porch. Stoking the fire on his way back to the kitchen he plopped down at the table and began reading.

Flipping through the pages he stopped when he saw a picture and article regarding Admiral John McGee. Although he wasn't comfortable speaking badly of anyone, especially the deceased, he couldn't help but scoff when he read the first few lines of the story. It mentioned John as being a dedicated father who always kept in close contact with his kids regardless of his busy schedule. Skimming through the rest of the article he wondered where the reporter had gotten the information, as most of it was untrue, particularly the information regarding the McGees family life. The timer dinged signaling breakfast was ready and Ducky earmarked the page, intent on showing Gibbs later. After removing the casserole from the oven, drizzling syrup on it and pouring a cup of tea, he returned to the table and dug in. Taking his time to savor each bite he read through the rest of the paper and enjoyed the alone time. He knew Gibbs would likely be calling the rest of the team and they'd all want to come over to be reunited with Timmy, no matter if he wanted them there or not. Depending on how Gibbs was feeling, he planned on heading home and allowing father and son some much needed alone time later in the afternoon. He was going to be adamant that none of the team overstay their welcome as both Timmy and Gibbs had a long week ahead of them. While they were trying to console Tim overnight, Gibbs had casually mentioned that Maggie wanted the toddler to attend the Admiral's funeral. After talking about it, they agreed it would best to keep her happy until all the legal documents were signed and Gibbs was proclaimed Tim's father.

Deep in thought he didn't hear Gibbs and Timmy enter the kitchen and practically jumped out of his seat when Gibbs spoke, "Whatcha thinking about, Duck?"

"My god, Jethro!" Ducky bellowed, clutching his chest and breathing heavily, "Didn't I warn you not to sneak up on me like that?"

Tim giggled at the older man's reaction and rested his head on Gibbs' shoulder. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Tim and I stood here for at least ten seconds hoping you'd notice us before I had to say something. I didn't know it was going to garner that type of reaction."

"And what do you think you're laughing at, my dear?" Ducky asked as he reached over and started tickling Tim. The toddler squirmed and laughed as Ducky tickled his tummy.

"I'll give you something to laugh about." The older man continued until Tim was gasping for breath.

Once he'd caught his breath, Tim tugged on Gibbs' shirt to get his attention.

"What is it son?" Gibbs asked, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"Ba ba dada? Pwease?"

Gibbs ran his hand through Tim's bedraggled hair, "Of course, sweetie. You want some breakfast too?"

"There are plenty of leftovers from brunch yesterday. I heated up some of the French Toast casserole and I must say I think it was better the second time around. The oven is probably still warm if you wish to heat it in there."

"Good idea, Duck. I'm too exhausted to think about cooking anything today." Shifting Tim in his arms, he added, "Kiddo, will you sit with Ducky while I get breakfast ready?"

"Yesh." Tim mumbled after much contemplation, finally agreeing when Gibbs reassured him they'd still be in the same room. Tim wasn't having any separation anxiety until the nightmares began and Gibbs knew it would take some time before the toddler felt comfortable being away from him. He hoped once the nightmares stopped and Tim felt safe, he would allow there to be some separation again. Eventually he would need to return to work, but thought about taking family medical leave time if needed. He was a father again and his son took precedence above all else. There was also the possibility that seeing the team would provide a good distraction along with the return of his beloved dog, Jethro.

Starting the coffee pot he grabbed a clean bottle out of the cupboard and filled it. Popping it in the microwave he returned to the refrigerator and rummaged through the leftovers. Finally deciding on fruit along with the French Toast casserole he dished out two servings and placed them in the oven. When the microwave signaled it was done, he removed the bottle, checked the temperature and handed it to his boy. Greedily sucking, Tim laid back against Ducky's chest and allowed the older man to loosely wrap his arms around his tummy. Gibbs was relieved Tim was allowing someone else the opportunity to comfort and console him.

Once the coffee started percolating and the aroma filled the air, Gibbs couldn't wait any longer to get a swig of the fresh brew. Replacing the pot with his mug he waited impatiently as the cup filled. Once it was half way filled he switched the two again and sat down at the kitchen table. Ducky laughed as the younger man sniffed the swill and took a sip.

"What's so funny, Duck?"

"Oh, nothing Jethro. I contemplated starting a pot earlier, but I wanted you to sleep and knew the aroma would wake you so I held off."

Taking another sip and sighing, Gibbs replied, "You know me too well. I'm glad you held off so we could sleep a little longer."

"After the trauma yesterday and dealing with Timothy last night I suggest you both take it easy today. By the way, how are you feeling this morning?"

Gibbs winced as he shifted in his seat, his achy bones making themselves known. "My head is throbbing and I'm actually quite sore. I was going to take a pain pill after I got through with breakfast. I figured we could take it easy and I'm hoping the medication will take the edge off."

"Oggy?" Timmy questioned around the nipple invading his mouth. Gibbs happened to catch what the toddler was asking and responded, "The doggy is doing fine, kiddo. He's with Abs right now, but he'll be back soon."

Ducky cleared his throat and briefly made eye contact with Gibbs as the timer buzzed. Wagging his finger as he rose from the chair, Gibbs replied, "Hold that thought, Duck."

Quickly preparing both their breakfasts, Gibbs slid a plate in front of Ducky for Tim before returning to the counter for his own and a refill on coffee. Remembering to grab a bib he handed it to the older man and sat back down at the table. Tim sat up and removed the bottle from his mouth when he saw the plate placed in front of him. Licking his lips he started to dig in before Ducky had a chance to tie the bib around his neck. Both men laughed as Tim bounced in delight while savoring the rich breakfast treat.

"After this piece you need to have some fruit, Timmy." Gibbs reminded him as the youngster started for another piece of casserole.

Timmy nodded, devoured the second piece and was stealthily reaching for a third when Gibbs cleared his throat. The toddler's eyes widened when he realized he was caught and quickly shoveled it in his mouth. Gibbs hid a smile behind his coffee mug, but the look in his eyes was the one Timmy knew meant business. Reaching for a piece of fruit, Timmy waited for a nod of confirmation from his daddy before placing it in his mouth. Ducky watched with amusement at how well father and son already seemed to know what the other was thinking simply by their body language or look in their eyes. He assumed ten years as Boss and Agent helped attribute to the fact they knew each other so well; however, that didn't mean it still wasn't fun to watch.

Half way through breakfast, Ducky cleared his throat and spoke softly, "Jethro, when do you plan on telling the team? I think it would be beneficial for Timothy to be around them. You know, to help with his night..."

Ducky clamped his mouth shut when Gibbs gestured for him to stop talking. He didn't even want Timmy to hear the word nightmare and he was happy Ducky appeared to understand his concern.

"I'm glad we're on the same page, I was thinking the same thing. I have some explaining to do about my behavior yesterday and I'd liked to do it sooner rather than later." Gibbs sighed and took another sip of coffee, "I hope they understand where I was coming from and..."

"Forgive you, Jethro?"

The younger man cocked his head to one side and slightly raised his eyebrows.

Patting Gibbs' arm, Ducky continued, "I wouldn't worry about that my friend. Those kids idolize you, we are all allowed to have a bad day and unfortunately sometimes we say things we don't mean. You know what you have to do."

"Yeah, I do." Gibbs sighed and glanced at Tim who was finishing off the last few pieces of his breakfast. His hands and face were coated in syrup and it was clear he'd enjoyed every last bite. Chuckling, Gibbs stood and grabbed a few baby wipes. "All right, buddy let's get you cleaned up and then we'll head upstairs to get dressed."

Tim giggled and smeared the syrup across his face before Gibbs or Ducky could stop him. "At least he didn't get it in his hair." The older man chuckled as Gibbs first cleaned one tiny hand and then the other.

"You always find the silver lining, Duck." Timmy was starting to squirm, desperate to get down from Ducky's lap.

"Hang on, sweetie. The sooner you let me clean your face the sooner you can get down."

Tim whined and squirmed as Gibbs cleaned his face of the sticky substance. Declaring he was finished, he collected Tim in his arms and kissed his forehead, "Ready to get changed, kiddo? Duck do you mind calling the team and letting them know I would like to speak with them?"

"Of course, Jethro."

As Gibbs headed out of the kitchen, he stopped and turned around, "Duck, I'd like to keep Tim a surprise until they arrive, okay?"

Ducky nodded and went to the family room to retrieve his cell phone. Quite frankly he was surprised he hadn't heard from any of the team members regarding their Boss's condition. He assumed after the way Gibbs treated them they were trying to give him space to grieve while also dealing with their own feelings regarding Tim.

After making phone calls to Tony, Ziva, Abby and Jimmy in which they all agreed to meet at Gibbs' house, Ducky grabbed his 'go' bag and ducked into the bathroom to get freshened up.

Gibbs entered the bedroom, his head thumping with every step he took and blearily looked around for his pain medication. It had been some time since he'd had a concussion and had forgotten how painful it could be. Tim watched him intently as he swallowed the pill and took a sip of water.

"Sowry dada." He whispered, laying his head down on Gibbs' shoulder.

The older man used his finger to tilt Tim's chin, "What are you sorry about sweetie? You didn't do anything wrong."

Tim blushed and bashfully buried his face back against the muscular shoulder. Gibbs gently rubbed his back in reassurance and laid him on the changing table. "Let's get you cleaned up. All your friends are going to be here soon to see you."

"Toey?" The toddler asked hopefully as Gibbs unzipped his sleeper and wrestled him out of it.

"I think so; we'll have to see what Ducky has to say. Hopefully Tony, Ziva, Abs and Jimmy. What do you think about that?"

Squealing and clapping his hands in delight a mostly toothless grin appeared on his face. Whatever pain Gibbs was feeling at that moment melted away when he saw his baby so happy. After changing the youngster's diaper, Gibbs leaned down and blew raspberries on his chubby tummy. The toddler giggled uncontrollably as Gibbs' five o'clock shadow tickled his belly. Repeating the process several times, Gibbs couldn't help but laugh as the sweet giggles of his baby boy echoed throughout the room. With Tim out of breath from laughing, he decided it was time to finish getting him dressed. Once he was ready to go, the older man placed him on the bed with a few toys while he cleaned up and got dressed.

Gibbs was relieved that by the time he finished getting ready the pain in his head was starting to subside. Collecting Tim from the bed they headed downstairs to find Ducky coming out of the bathroom.

"Hey, Duck did you talk to the team?"

"I did my friend. Everyone agreed to come." Looking at his watch, he continued, "They should be arriving in the next half hour."

"Doggy?" Tim questioned; the look on his face full of hope and excitement.

"Yes, my sweet boy, Abigail is planning on bringing Jethro with her."

Tim shrieked with delight and motioned to the toy box tucked in the corner of the family room. Gibbs was relieved that Tim was taking interest in something other than constantly wanting to be held. Depositing the little guy in the middle of the room he dumped the box on the floor and watched as Timmy began playing.

"Jethro, can I speak to you for a moment?" Ducky asked holding up the newspaper article about John McGee.

Gibbs nodded and while keeping one eye on his boy took the paper out of the older man's hand and began reading. Scoffing at the first few sentences he skimmed through the entire article and then looked up to make eye contact with Ducky. "Where the hell did the paper get their information? Dedicated father? It's too bad they don't know the real truth about Admiral John McGee. Makes me disgusted, they make him out to be the good guy when he was far from it."

Ducky gently squeezed the younger man's shoulder, "We know the truth, Jethro. Let everyone else believe he was a doting father instead of allowing it to anger you. Timothy is being given a second chance at having a great childhood when there's many children out there who will never get that. Make the most out of the gift both of you have been given."

Sucking in a deep breath he looked toward where Tim was playing quietly, carefully stacking blocks. He knew Ducky was right and worrying over a newspaper article wasn't going to help him be a better father. Turning back toward Ducky he smiled softly, "Don't worry, Duck. I'll cherish the gift I've been given and Timmy will grow up to be a wonderful young man."

"I never had any doubt my friend. Now there is one more thing I need to tell you before the rest of the team arrive. Did Maggie mention anything during your conversation last night about her time alone with Timothy?"

Gibbs cocked one eyebrow in curiosity and motioned for Ducky to follow him to the couch. The two men got comfortable before Gibbs opened his mouth to speak, "Maggie didn't divulge any information regarding her afternoon with Timmy. What am I missing?"

Ducky proceeded to tell him how Tim had made it his personal mission to cause as much mayhem in a short amount of time as possible. Gibbs chuckled at his boy peeing on Maggie and in his mind felt the woman deserved it after the way she acted. He was upset when Ducky told him Maggie thought she'd lost the little guy and had to take deep breaths to avoid flying off the handle. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten Tim as the poor guy had been through enough. Although he was less than excited with what he'd heard, he saw it as a blessing because it made Maggie realize she wasn't capable of taking care of a baby again.

Hearing a car door slam, Ducky peeked through the curtains and turned to Gibbs, "The troops have arrived."

Soon after, they heard Jethro barking, obviously recognizing his location. Tim stopped playing and looked up from the pile of blocks; his head barely visible over the table and squealed, "Doggy!"

"That's right, sweetie. Everyone is here although they don't know they're here to see you. Want to surprise them?" Gibbs asked as he gathered Tim in his arms and held him close to his chest.

"Pwise dem dada!"

Gibbs darted into the kitchen and hid behind the wall as Ducky chuckled at his silliness. It was nice to see his friend relaxed and truly enjoying parenthood.

When Ducky opened the door he was practically plowed over by Jethro who barked loudly and headed toward the kitchen. Abby followed suit, calling out for the dog who ignored her and continued on his mission.

"Aww he must be looking for Timmy." Abby stated sadly as she shed her coat and hat. "He kept me up all night with his whimpering and pacing back and forth. It's obvious he's heartbroken over losing Timmy just like the rest of us."

As soon as Jethro spotted Gibbs and Timmy hiding, he started barking and jumping up on the older man trying to get to the toddler. Timmy giggled and reached his hand down to give the dog a pat on the head.

"What is Jethro doing in the kitchen? I could have sworn I heard a child giggle."

Ducky tried to play dumb, "Ziva, my dear, I think you heard the wind. Gibbs still has Jethro's food dish in there, I'm sure the pup is enjoying a nice snack."

Tony spotted the blocks on the floor and bent down to pick one up, "I thought I heard a kid too. Is Boss playing with blocks in his spare time now?"

With Tim squirming in his arms and Jethro sitting at his feet, Gibbs decided not to withhold their reunion any longer. Pressing a kiss to Tim's forehead he came out from the kitchen and was surprised when the toddler threw his hands up in the air and yelled, "Prise!"

The team hadn't been paying attention and the looks on their faces when they saw Gibbs holding Tim were priceless. Gibbs wished he'd had taken a picture, but then thought it was one image he would never forget.

Abby gasped and held her hands over her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes. Ziva appeared to be in shock, muttering over and over again in Hebrew. Tony and Jimmy flashed broad smiles, checking Tim out from head to toe for any visible injuries. As Gibbs moved further into the room the gang gathered around each wanting to have a physical connection with the little guy. Tim reached his tiny arms out and gave all of them a hug, needing that connection as well. Once they'd gotten over the initial shock, Gibbs asked them all to sit down so he could explain. He wasn't surprised when Timmy wrapped one arm around Tony's neck and whispered in his ear, "Mish u Toey. Lub u mush."

"Aww I missed you too, kiddo. Want to come to Uncle Tony while your daddy talks?"

Tim grinned and practically fell into Tony's waiting arms. The older man adjusted the toddler on his hip and kissed his temple, "I still can't believe you're back, Timmy! What would we do without you?"

"Pass out, hit your head and get a concussion. Push your family away while they're trying to help."

Tony swallowed past the lump in his throat at Gibbs' reply and took a seat in the overstuffed chair while the rest of the team was spread out through the family room.

Gibbs cleared his throat and looked around the room, making eye contact with each member of his team. "I know you all have lots of questions and I'll be happy to answer as best I can." Sucking in a deep breath and exhaling, he continued, "Before we get into all that, I owe each of you an apology."

Ziva opened her mouth to speak, but Gibbs held his hand up to stop her. "Please let me finish, Zeever."

He stared at Abby as he began speaking again, "It was wrong of me to treat each of you the way I did. I was distraught and felt like my life was no longer worth living. All of you were trying to help and..." He paused and looked down at the floor. Ducky rubbed his back, trying to comfort him and leaned over to whisper in his ear, "You've done a great job, Jethro. Ask for forgiveness and we'll be good to go."

Nodding, Gibbs straightened up in the chair and continued, "I hope you can all forgive me, someday. I know it might take some time to earn back your trust, but I'm willing to wait."

Jimmy, Abby, Ziva and Tony's eyes about popped out of their heads as Gibbs apologized. It had been a long time since he'd broken rule number six. The group exchanged glances and the room got quiet except for the humming that was coming from Timmy as he sucked his thumb. Abby, who had taken Gibbs' brashness the hardest, stood up and walked over to him. Blinking back tears she threw her arms around his neck and sobbed, "I cou could nev er be mad at you Gibbs."

"Thanks Abs." He whispered, returning the hug while also looking for confirmation from his other team members. Although he told them he knew it might take some time, his gut would feel uneasy until they all forgave him. Jimmy gave him a small smile while Tony and Ziva each gave him a slight nod and smile. Taking a deep breath, he pried Abby off him and grinned at Ducky. The older man patted him on the shoulder, "You did good, Jethro. I'm proud of you."

Tony cradled Tim in his arms and started rocking him. He could feel the stares from his co-workers and knew they all wanted an opportunity with the little guy, but he couldn't give him up. Not yet, at least. Kissing Tim on the forehead and running his fingers through his hair, he smiled as the toddler's eyes drooped shut. Continuing his ministrations he looked over at Gibbs and sighed, "It's so good to have him back. By the way, how did that happen?"

Gibbs chuckled and looked over at his sweet baby boy who for the meantime was snoozing comfortably, "It's a long story, but one you deserve to hear. Sit back and get cozy while Ducky and I explain the unexpected visitor we had last night."