Melinda

Chapter 12

Three months had passed.

Tony was settled in his new job as Director of NCS and Jen had given up her job to take care of AJ full-time.

She relished in the task of soccer mom, she had a dark red SUV refusing to drive anything black. She had let her hair grow and more often than not wore it up in a pony tail preferring Jeans and a jumper or sweatshirt to suits.

AJ had been enrolled in school and was flourishing, although he hated the fact that he had a security detail in the building he had made some friends, one of them was Jared Vance. Although he was a few years older than AJ he knew what it was like having a father that was the director of an agency and the two were as thick as thieves and it helped they were on the same soccer team.

Jen pulled up outside the manor and AJ and Jared hopped out and ran for the front door, Teresa, the new help opened the door and Max bounded barking down the steps to greet his master.

"Here boy!" AJ called throwing a ball from his bag. Max bounded over his ears flapping he grabbed the ball then dropped it and wagged his tail.

AJ grinned and walked over stroking the dog, "Daft dog," He laughed and ran inside with Jared and both boys ran to AJ's room, where Uncle Tim had in AJ's words completely tricked out his room with the latest computer and accessories and a huge TV system that was also linked to the TV. He pressed a button and looked at the screen.

"Hi Dad." He grinned.

Tony sitting at his desk looked up and smiled as his son appeared on the plasma on the wall in front of his desk.

"AJ, you ok?" he asked.

"Sure, Jared's here." He said and moved as Jared waved at the screen, "Hi Mr. DiNozzo…..er Uncle Tony." He said at Tony's raised eyebrow.

Tony smiled "That's better, anyone who chased you around your house using a pizza box as a shark head, gets to be known as Uncle Tony… Is your dad coming tonight?" Tony asked.

Jared grinned, "Yeah, as soon as he's finished work."

"Ok well you two had better get your homework done and I have to do mine or I won't make it back in time." He grinned as the boys groaned.

"Ok…Love you dad." AJ said and signed off.

Tony sat at his desk for a minute more grinning like a lunatic, he leant back, life for him was perfect and he loved being married to the woman of his dreams and the father to a wonderful son.

Finally finishing up for the day he shut down his computer and grabbed his backpack, no matter that he was the director of an agency, he felt more comfortable with a backpack than a briefcase.

He nodded goodnight to his new secretary, Jack smiled as his boss walked out the door and carried on finishing up his appointments for Monday. Then Tony's head popped around the door, "You still coming later Jack?" he asked.

Jack smiled, "Mark and I wouldn't miss it." He said and he meant it, He loved his job and he loved working for his boss, a man who had sought him out for his skills and didn't hold his sexuality against him; which in a federal agency was extremely rare.

"I hope Mark is making his potato salad, it's to die for." Tony grinned and left the office the faint shout of "Yes Boss…" floating down the hall.

He walked past his top team's office and poked his head in, "Case?" he asked.

Ana looked up, "Nothing major, just working on some old stuff, so far so good Tony."

"Cool, I'm heading home now to light up the grill." Tony said giving his sister a kiss on the head and heading out the door.

Once in the elevator he leaned back, finally tonight his first family barbeque, he knew there was a lot riding on this, for although his family and friends were invited, he had taken the steps to invite Gibbs…This was is make or break time. For him tonight was all about showing his boss, that this was his family, his life and that he had grown up and moved on.

A month ago he had stood in Gibbs' basement, just like the old days.

Gibbs had been sitting on a stool, working on what looked like a chair.

"DiNozzo." He said he got up and poured more bourbon in a jar.

Tony walked down the last few steps. "Gibbs,"

They sat in silence and sipped their drinks.

"I talked to Jen," Tony said with a small grin as Gibbs choked on his drink a little.

"Yeah?" he replied not giving anything away.

"Look boss…Gibbs, I know you still have feelings for her, but she is my wife and, as much as you mean to me, you make a move on her again, I'm gonna knock you on your ass." He said flatly.

"Duly noted." Gibbs took another sip.

"Gibbs…I…" Tony stopped, he didn't want to sound whiney but he knew he that this was it his one chance to try to repair the friendship they'd had for ten years. "You know you mean a lot to me, don't you?" he said.

Gibbs put his drink down, "Yeah?"

"Yeah, you helped with….with Senior and all his crap, you helped me cope after Jen's 'death', you brought me back."

"You gave up a promotion to help me," Gibbs told him in return.

"You knew?" Tony looked surprised.

"Yeah, who do ya think recommended you in the first place," Gibbs sighed, "Didn't want ya off my team but didn't want to stop you if you needed to go?"

"Boss, you're like a father to me, the kind I wanna be for my son, well….you were before you went and had your asshole moment in the bullpen."

"I'm sorry." He said and Tony spat out his drink in shock. "Don't waste good. That includes Bourbon Director." Gibbs quipped.

"I want…God listen to me I sound like a kid…." Tony got up and walked towards the stairs.

"Tony, it's ok to ask for what you want, you do deserve it." Gibbs said and Tony stopped.

"I want you to be his Grandpa; I want you to teach him everything I should have learnt from my grandfather, had I been allowed to meet him, the things he won't learn from Senior. But if you're going to hold the fact that he's mine and Jen's son against him, tell me now and this conversation never happened, NO ONE is going to make my son feel inferior, ever." Tony said, unconsciously holding his breath.

Gibbs turned to Tony, "I promise, I will not let him down. Thank you…for giving me this chance you don't know what it means to me." He said sincerely.

Tony nodded and finally relaxed, "So….Pops…" He stopped as Gibbs grinned, "What ya making?"