Daddyhood 2 by voracity
Summary: LIST ONLY! Had been in the mailing list's files section.

The sequel/intertwined story of Xander's continued adventures with his newly found dad, Jethro Gibbs. First story is found on the childhood series page of the old site.
Categories: Buffy/Angel Crossovers > CSI/NCIS Characters: None
Genres: Action/Adventure, AU, Humor
Warnings: Angst, Slash
Challenges: None
Series: List Only Stories
Chapters: 5 Completed: Yes Word count: 88988 Read: 72867 Published: 2015.01.30 Updated: 2015.01.30
Part 1 by voracity
Note: the pimp tax law is an actual suggestion by our wonderful government here in the US. They submitted it to Congress as a way to raise more funds. But they'll still prosecute them if they see the word 'pimp' on a tax form.





"It's not easy being me," Xander complained, looking around where he was hiding. He had been in DC with his father and his father's team now for four months. Four whole months. And now he was being hunted because someone intelligent wanted his dad and decided he'd make a good hostage. Which would've been fine if he hadn't been saddled with one of his dad's guys. He glared at Tony's back. "You know, I could probably get away easier by myself."

"Fat chance. There's no chance your dad is going to let you go off by yourself if you're in danger."

"Hello, was kinda in danger for sixteen years prior to this," he noted dryly. "Not like I haven't slept with danger in the past." Tony covered his mouth and he licked his hand, getting a grossed out look. "Want distraction or sniper?" he asked finally, but quietly, watching their tormentor at the end of the alley they were in.

"Stay."

"No."

"Xander."

Xander gave him a look and stood up, then spun, ducked, and dove behind a dumpster, which made noise, but the guy quit looking toward Tony's position. He snuck a lot more stealthily away from there, then came up behind him, pulling the revolver he had taken out of his car when he had been driven off the road. "Freeze," he ordered, pressing the barrel against the back of his head. "Now."

"You won't shoot."

"You don't know where I was before here," he noted dryly. "Yours wouldn't be the first blood I've seen." The man stiffened and he heard sirens. "Um, Tony, dear?" he called. "Your brethren seem to be arriving."

Tony came out of hiding and pulled his badge when the first cop car pulled in. "Feds, go away. This guy was stalking my protectee." He waved a hand at them. "We've got it." He called Kate's phone. "We've got one of them. Xander's presently playing thug. Not like I *let* him, Kate."

"It's my mistake of the month," Xander called. The guy ducked and Xander followed, flicking the safety on with his thumb. The gun got tossed at Tony and he proved he knew some hand-to-hand from his former life. The guy was on his back and Xander had a dagger at his chest within minutes; the guy even earned an amused look. "Are you having fun now? I am. I'll have *flashbacks*." The man swallowed. "Now, tell the nice officers why you wanted to kidnap me?"

"I'm trying to get his father to take my case, he's a Fed," he babbled, trying to shift. "I wanted him as bargaining chip."

"Enough," Tony said, coming over. "Let him up, Xander. I promise he won't run. Even though you did toss a weapon."

"I put the safety on first," he defended, getting off the guy. He noticed he was blushing. "Awww, did my gayness infect you?" he sneered.

"Enough," Tony said less patiently. He called Kate back. "Come get this guy. I don't have cuffs and Xander's at the taunting stage. That's fine." He hung up. "McGee's coming with handcuffs."

"Sure." Xander swung and knocked him out. "That might hold him until then." He took his gun back and checked it then put it into his back waistband. "Thank you for holding that for me." He grinned sweetly at the officers. "Hi." They backed up. "Sorry, he's annoying me." He stomped and the moving person quit with a groan of pain. "I said don't move. Next time, listen." He glared at him. More sirens were coming their way. "Hmm, sounds like Dad let the other son borrow the car." He looked at Tony. "So, you saw my car. How bad was it?"

"Pretty bad," he admitted. "It can be fixed though."

"Good." He stomped again and the moving person squeaked higher this time. Apparently he had stepped on a tender part. He looked down at him. "What did I tell you?" he asked, then he shook his head. "I sounded like She Who Barks." He walked off shuddering. "Guys, we're fine. I'm going to abuse him some more and then I'm going to disappear for a while. Because I'm flying out tonight for a summer trip to Rome." He beamed and bounced some and they just nodded, giving him 'you're scary' looks. He smiled and waved at McGee as he pulled in, pointing behind him. "I left him with Tony. Can I borrow the car?"

"Hell no," he muttered as he walked past him. "Into the back seat."

"Why are you going to Rome?" one of the officers asked.

"The people training me said it's a beautiful city." He grinned. "Plus, hey, many, many cute guys out the ass there." He bounced over to wave at the guy but Tony grabbed him. "I'm supposed to fly out in a few hours."

"Fat chance. Didn't your father say you couldn't go?"

"Nope. He just groaned." He smiled. "No 'no' given. Not even a 'hell' muttered my way. Plus it's part of my training." He bounced off but Tony caught him again and walked him over to the car, getting into the back with the suspect while Xander got shotgun and McGee drove.

McGee paused outside the car and looked up. "Why me?" he asked quietly before getting in. Xander got them all into some outrageous trouble. He looked at the kid once he was buckled up. "I'm surprised you're allowed out of the house after you made Kate go into the club that turned out to be a brothel to get you and she had to get drunk afterward."

"Hey, it wasn't me who was being fisted and stuff. I was being a good boy on the dance floor. She decided to head there first instead of looking at the more innocent attractions."

"I could've sworn you promised me you wouldn't go back there," Tony noted, kicking his seat. "Didn't you?"

"No, I said I wouldn't go into the back rooms again," he said dryly. "I said nothing about going to dance and rub off in the middle of the crowd."

Tony kicked the seat again. "No going back there, Xander. It's dangerous."

Xander looked back at him. "I'm pretty sure I've proven I can take care of myself most of the time, Tony."

Tony glared. "Even I, the slut king of DC, wouldn't go to a nasty, grungy place like that."

"Yeah, and you're still not gay. You wouldn't be in there anyway."

"There's straight people alternatives," McGee said bitterly.

"I know, Abby took me to one." McGee slammed on the brakes and looked at him. "Her idea!" he defended, holding up his hands. "I swear, all her idea. We went to get busy on the floor and not like she had Tony or you to tell her no. I guarded her back and made the three guys who wanted to make her the creamy filling go away."

"Drive, Probie," Tony said tiredly. "We'll talk about this later, while he calls to cancel his seats to Rome."

Xander snickered and nodded. "Sure I am." At the next light he slipped out and ran, losing Tony in the crowd around the coffeeshop. He ducked into a cab, panting hard. "Sorry, escaping the parents." His father turned around. "They wanted me to go to Rome."

"Fat chance. Gun?" Xander handed it over and ducked out, then took off again. Gibbs lifted his microphone. "Tony, he's headed for the checkered cab on the corner across from you and I've got his gun. Yeah, good hunting. Go after my son, I'll deal with the moron." He got out and tossed the driver his keys, going back to the office. He knew his son would try something like this. Even though his 'pre-agent' trainers had ordered him to go on vacation, he didn't want his son going to Rome. He wasn't sure Rome was ready to be infected by his son. He did call Fornell, seeing if he could pull a nice capture at the airport however. He walked the suspect into the office once he caught up with McGee and straight to interrogation, giving Kate a look. "Next time, you're going with him."

"Why? Have I been that mean to you, Gibbs? I've been an angel recently. Send Tony!" She huffed off.

"Tony might enjoy it," he called after her, slamming the door behind him as he walked inside, glaring at the person sitting in the chair. "Now then." The man whimpered. "You did what to my son?"

***

Tony caught up with Xander on the airplane. It was a nice flight. Xander had a seatmate but he was two rows and across the aisle from him. Once they were in the air, he smiled at his seatmate. "Change with me? He's my boss's son. We were supposed to sit together." he asked politely. She nodded and switched, so he flopped down, looking at him. "You are in deep shit, mini-Gibbs."

"They said they wanted me to go to Rome."

"I don't care what *they* said. They're CIA. You're NCIS now. You're ours. You're staying ours. Your father will go rip Langley apart brick-by-brick for making you take such a sudden vacation."

Xander looked at him. "I only had to pay hotel costs," he offered with a grin. "I get a full week in Rome, Tony. Any guy my age would jump for it."

"In return for what?" he hissed. The steward stopped beside him and he pulled his badge. "Company business." He hurried away. He looked at Xander again. "They wanted you to do what?"

"I'm supposed to be spotting their people. Seeing if I can identify them."

"Uh-huh. And for this they're paying airfare?"

"Plus a living allowance. They did give me an itinerary but it's the touristy spots anyway. Shouldn't take me more than a few hours a day." He grinned and nudged him. "I'm being a good boy, Tony. This is part of my training and you can go home. I'll be perfectly safe." Someone went running past their seats and up to the front, speaking rapid Spanish. "Or maybe not." He stopped a stewardess on her way to handle him. "I'm a Fed-trainee going for a practical exercise. Is he going to be a problem?"

"He's panicking," she said quietly, giving him a gentle smile. "It's fine, sir. Sit back down please." He nodded and sat down while she went to tell the others what that one had told her. The man got calmed down and he was put back into his seat. At least until they landed and then they let the Italian officials have them all. They released the trainee and the guy who was obviously grading his exercise so it must've been all right.

***

Xander called home, sighing at the growling that he got. "Is that my dog or you, dad?" He heard the barks. "Don't torture my dog or I'm taking out your girlfriend." His father assured him he wasn't, he was playing with his dog. "Good. No, they wanted me to see if I could identify people who were also agents. Yup, that stuff. He's here lounging on the other bed watching me call. No, all I had to pay was hotel costs." He beamed. "Of course I'm at somewhere decent. I wasn't going to stay in a really crappy place. My Italian's very limited to guidebook and touristy stuff. I'm actually at one of the diplomatic places, on the list for the State Department guys to use and get reimbursed. Sure." He handed the phone to Tony and stretched out on his bed.

"It's me, boss. Well, let's see. We were talking on the plane and the guy behind us freaked and told the stews on us. We were detained for all of ten minutes. I'm guessing he may have flunked thanks to that."

"Not my fault you stopped me," Xander said dryly. "When I checked, that's what Herbert said."

"Herbert? He thought this insane idea up?" Tony demanded. He handed the phone back. "Your father's swearing."

Xander listened, then coughed. "I'll have to remember that the next time I trip over your coffee mug in the middle of the night, dad." His father quit. "Yes, Herbert suggested it. He also suggested that I'm going to have one next summer with whatever I'll be doing. He was thinking Rio during Carinvale though. I know I'm still in school. I don't know, dad. You ask him." He smirked. "I'm still in *Rome*, dad. Sure, I can send Tony to the local office." Tony shook his head. He held the phone out and smirked. "I'm going for a stroll." He skipped out while Tony got orders. He'd catch up to him in a few minutes. And if not, he was more than capable of protecting himself. He ran into one of his fellow students and looked at them. "Peter." The other teenager gaped. "Here to spot people or be spotted?"

"Spotting others. You?"

"Same. Tony's back in my room though."

"Really?" he asked, giving him a look.

"Separate beds," he sighed, sitting next to him. "Not my idea. Dad sicced him on me to stop me."

"Poor baby." He patted him on the back. "We should go have fun. This is still a vacation. We don't start until tomorrow."

"Fat chance," Xander said dryly. "I've already spotted Herbert and Pierre at the airport and Pierre again at the hotel. I'm guessing we're not just spotting ours." His fellow student rolled his eyes. "You can check but I'm taking this a bit seriously."

"You think this is all Mission Impossible too, dear," he pointed out dryly.

"No, not all of it. Originally they wanted me to sex people for information. That's a whole different movie." He grinned at the shocked look. "It happens. Not many of us are out of the closet." He walked off, tossing the shirt with the chemical tracer back onto his buddy's head. "Thanks for that anyway." He headed off, going to buy a touristy t-shirt and take the other one off. It got dropped into a burning trashcan some homeless guys were warming themselves on. "It had chemicals or I'd have donated it," he offered in Spanish. That got a nod from one and he walked on after handing over a few Lira. He took out his small data recorder and made notes whenever he ran into someone who he thought was a spy. He had a lot of notes but better to over-warn than under-warn and miss some. He had been promised a reward if he spotted more than the other students.

Little did he know that there was a major convergence of them this week due to a scientific announcement. Not like his bosses were going to *tell* him these things.

***

Gibbs was waiting on the duo when they came off the plane, his son looking blissed out and bouncy. "You're still grounded."

His son hugged him. "I spotted fifty-three foreign spies there to destroy the new science thingy," he said in his ear. "I got more than my boss." He pulled back and grinned at him. He got swatted on the head. "I do deserve a 'good job' at least," he pouted.

"Good job, you're still grounded. I said no."

"They said I had to."

"They're in deeper than you are. Bags?" Tony held it up. "Only the one, DiNozzo?"

"Yup, boss. I only had to buy a few things and Xander didn't do much shopping since he was nearly run down by one of the MI-6 guys for spotting him." Gibbs looked at him then at his son, who was blushing and shrugging a bit. "Or the French one who tried to stab him. She was not pleased when she found out he was only there as a training exercise to spot their own people. Neither was her mentor, who came to us at dinner that night to complain to me. I pointed out I was *yours* and not Xander's boss. I had been assigned to watch him by you since he was *your* son. So I'd expect some more foreign complaints, boss," he finished happily. "Now if we'll excuse me, I'm going to go enjoy my movie collection and possibly a date tonight." He handed over the bag. "Toss me my stuff tomorrow once it's clean."

"I'll send it to the cleaner's and let her call you," Xander said dryly. "If I'm not dad's maid, I'm certainly not your houseboy, Tony." He walked off, taking his father with him. "I visited a *lot* of the historic places, dad. Did you know the old arena for the gladiator fights was being rebuilt in spots?" Gibbs sighed and nodded. He gave his arm a squeeze. "Three of my fellow students were there and flunked, dad, and you know I'm not going to go to them. You know I'd never do that to you."

"I know but that stuff is dangerous and pulling you deeper into their pockets," he said impatiently, making his son look at him. "They're going to turn you into a spook."

"Can't be done," he assured him with a goofy grin. "I did everything based on body language and hidden guns. That's why I missed a few. And then I ran into that guy we met at JAG that time, the State Department guy? Him. He was not happy and he made three very angry calls in Italian. My boss got arrested for dragging me there to do that. Clay was not a happy camper by any means. That's why I'm back a day early." He grinned. "He decided it was too risky to keep me over there and he talked to two of them about how I was in *training* and not going that way. Herbert and Pierre are still probably fuming, but I did see She Who Barks. Wasn't she over for a date while I was gone?"

"No, I told her she couldn't come over." He walked off shaking his head. "Son, I don't know what to do with you. I want to punish you but you'd just protest and pout that it was what you were supposed to do."

"Which it was," he pointed out, following behind his father, who was like a bulldozer breaking the crowd around them. "Sorry," he sighed when they got to the car. "I got to go to *Rome* though, dad. Rome! An ancient and really neat place!"

"I know," he said, shaking his head. "Still not right. Get in. We'll go home. Your mutt missed you. He's been sleeping on my feet for the last week." Xander slid in and put the bag into the backseat. "Did they have any other plans for you this summer? Since you only finished training a week ago and you're supposed to be interning with us at the office?"

"Only interning with you, dad."

"Good. I like that. You can help Ducky and Abby. That way I know you're safe." He backed out and headed home, then decided to pull over and check the bag, giving his son an odd look at the half-box of condoms. "Found the gay section?"

"No, but Tony found a really pretty girl he knew and dated a few times," he offered with a grin. "Not my brand, dad, and I used all mine."

"On?"

"Um, well.... They're older...."

Gibbs moaned and slapped the steering wheel. "You slept with a spook?"

"No," he defended. "I slept with a really cute and hunky chemistry major." His father moaned. "Who was female!" he defended. His father gave him an odd look. "I thought I'd give being het a try again. She thought I was foreign and exotic. Then again, I saved her from some vampires trying to eat her, but I was a good boy. She offered. I didn't ask."

"Son," he moaned. "Why?"

"She offered. I didn't even have to ask. I'm seventeen, dad. If some Italian hottie with 36-D tits and a really firm ass came up to you when you were seventeen and wanted to thank you for saving her life the old fashioned way, where would you have been?"

"On top," he admitted.

"Yeah, I was there too," he sighed, shaking his head. His father bopped him on the side of the head. "Hey, like father like son. Even Tony said he'd have tapped that girl."

"Uh-huh. Not the best judge, son."

"He's got an eye for beauty, dad."

"I don't care if he does." He got them moving again. "Got pictures?"

"I do in my wallet." He pulled it out and showed it to him when they stopped at the next stop sign. His father gave it an appreciative look. "See, it was *imperative*. My guy hormones decided she was more than good enough to sleep with." They moved on and his father actually smiled at that. "And hey, she only tried to kill me once and that was breath play."

That got another groan and a head shake so Xander left it off until they got home. Jethro followed him, shaking his head the whole way. Then he went back outside to call his son's trainers again and bitch them a new one. "So, was the woman my son slept with one of you?" he asked grimly. He paused. "She was what?" He whimpered. "Repercussions?" He just nodded at that. "He's mine. Remember he's mine. I will kill you all." He hung up and opened the door, just leaning in. "Son, did you know you slept with the daughter of a very powerful mafia family? That she's making drugs?"

"Yeah, she offered me a taste of her newest thing and I said I didn't partake. That's why she tried to strangle me. So I knocked her out with really great sex and walked out while she was sleeping it off." He leaned back enough to see him. "Are my bosses still under arrest?"

"No, it sounded like they were out," he admitted, walking inside. "That doesn't bother you?"

"Dad, how many times have you seen a *good* girl go after me? Hello, I'm shocked she wasn't some odd serial killer or something. I was happy that she was so minorly evil."

"Point," he decided, heading to his boat. "Stay in. You're grounded for a month."

"A month?"

"Make that two," he said cheerfully. "Including no dating, son. No chatroom sex either." He slammed the basement door and went to get drunk while he worked on his boat and muttered about his son. Because his son was really stupid at times. It was either this or his son would be yelled at soon. Then he'd get pouted at and it'd make him feel more miserable than watching his ex-wives walk out on him.

Xander went up to his room to email McGee and tell him how it had went, and then he told Abby all the dirty details so she could compare and tease Tony about not getting the ass he had. It was cute how she picked on him.

***

Tony looked up as Abby walked up to his desk the next day. "How is your intern?" he asked dryly. "He hit on Palmer yet?"

"Nope. You didn't go after the hottie?"

"No, she liked Xander. Therefore she was dangerous," he reminded her. He had learned to respect that rule after one had taken McGee to try to get Xander back.

"Good point. So where were you?"

"He lost me," he muttered, glaring at Kate when she burst out laughing. "Next time, you go follow the kid. They want him to go to Paris next time." She went pale at that and he looked at Abby again. "He lost me twelve times in Rome. I've been to Rome and he lost me twelve times. He's a bit too good at that. Remind him some day he'll need us and we won't be able to find him."

"Sure." She leaned over to kiss him on the forehead. "He said you needed that for your headache since his dad was probably still growling." She straightened up and the poke to her back, smiling at Gibbs. "You look like you slept under the boat again, Gibbs."

"I did. It was safer." He looked at Tony. "I got your report. We'll work on those flaws."

"Remind him to quit losing his protectors," Tony told him.

"I will. I've tried. McGee gets the next one."

"I thought Kate could follow him to Paris."

"He's grounded for the next two months, DiNozzo. He can go to Paris when he's older." Tony nodded at that. "For right now, let's finish up the reports on the last case." His email beeped and he smirked. "Cute," he noted dryly. "Abby, why are you up here?"

"Xander wanted to know if I could show him how to break down DNA for testing."

"Will it help him later on?"

"Probably," she admitted.

"Then remind him he's thinking about being a normal CSI sort, and work on those skills," he ordered with a hand wave. She beamed and skipped off.

Tony leaned back in his chair. "For some reason I have the feeling they're going to bond over tattoos or piercings. I don't know why."

"Because he's already scary and like her little brother?" McGee suggested. "The last time I went out with them some of the goth kids bowed to him like he was King Goth or something." Tony smirked at that. "You know why?"

"Sunnydale."

"Oooh," Kate hissed, shuddering. "They know?"

"Abby let slip where he was from to one of them and the gossip chain went looking. I got an email from Willow saying that rumors had even gotten back to them and some of them had asked friends out there to verify him being one of their hunting trio." Gibbs moaned and shook his head. "But it's not all bad. They think he's like a God, choosing who gets to be turned and who doesn't." He shrugged. "I'm betting he's had plenty of dates from those kids."

Gibbs looked over. "He'd better not. I get to meet all the boys he's seeing, DiNozzo."

"Talk to your son, boss. You have to set that rule with him. Not with us."

"I tell Gibbs whenever he's gotten some in the bathroom or anything," McGee assured him.

"Yeah, and I stop the kid from doing it," Tony shot back, giving him a look. "Did you *never* go clubbing when you were younger?"

"He's not the sort," Kate reminded him. Xander came up the stairs, dressed a lot like Abby, only in the boy's version of goth gear. "Did she dress you too?"

"No, I pulled this out of my closet," he admitted, smiling as he handed over reports. "Por vous. And yours," he said, handing one to his father.

"I don't want to know where you got the eyeliner from, but scrub it off," he ordered. "You can be goth, you may not wear makeup."

"Nail polish?"

His father looked at him. "Not at the office." Xander sighed and went to clean off, coming back a bit less pale than before. His father opened his mouth then shook his head. "You had on foundation?"

"Powder to make me paler." He leaned over to kiss him on the forehead. "Pierre called and wanted to know if I could go out for drinks with the rest of them?"

"Grounded."

"I know that but he wanted me to ask you anyway."

"Still grounded."

"Yes, dad." He walked off, shrugging at the director's odd look. "I'm working with Abby."

"I can tell. You're dressed like Abby."

Xander looked at him. "While I might be able to pull off a kilt, I'm damn sure not going to wear one of her school girl skirts, Director." He strolled off again. "I'd even wear it properly," he called as he walked.

The director shuddered and went to where Gibbs was filling out forms. "Your son is odd."

"Yes, he is. That's because no one told me he existed sooner and he had to grow up there," he said, scowling at his boss.

"I realize it was a mistake, Jethro. I'm very sorry your son is so warped." He walked on shaking his head.

Abby, down in the lab, turned off the security feed, giving Xander a happy look when he came back. "A kilt? Think you could?"

He shrugged. "Don't know, never tried. Would Dad think it's appropriate for work?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "That depends on what sort of night he had." She considered it and shrugged. "It is technically within dress code. There's nothing in there about male fashions from other countries."

"Why do I suddenly have the vision of me in a loin cloth like some African tribes?"

"No, that's Ducky. He's even got pictures," she said happily. She bounced a bit. "Okay, let's do that DNA example." He nodded and came over to help her.

***

Xander came down the stairs in his pajamas at his father's bellow the next morning. "What?"

"Aren't you coming?" he demanded. "We're going to be late."

"I don't have to be in until nine." He grinned. "That means I have time to let the hot water warm up again and take a sinfully long shower."

Gibbs shook his head. " I take it you're driving in today?" Xander nodded. "Bring me a new coffee. I'll need at least another one by then."

"Sure, dad." He kissed him on the cheek. "Go be scary guy with coffee in hand." His father smirked but walked out. Xander went to take a shower and slip into the new clothes Abby had made him buy the night before. He called her. "Are you *sure* I look okay in these?" He looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. "Yeah, just like she taught me." He looked at his feet. "We forgot shoes. Well, I was raised by Willow and Buffy, dear. No, my Doc's still rub my feet in spots. High tops," he offered, shrugging. "Nothing bigger than those. Sure." He went to put on his high top sneakers. "So, are these like the updated fashion for the old styles?" He grinned. "Be in within an hour. Dad had me stop to get coffee for him." He hung up and grabbed his furry bag, he had no idea what it was called but it was nearly as cute as his dog, who was giving him a very odd look.

"I know. Abby insisted." He petted him and ran his hands through his hair before going down to grab something to nibble in the car and head to the coffeeshop. The attendant gave him an odd look. "Abby," he explained. Since the whole office went there for coffee and sodas, they understood. He took the tray of coffees out to the car and headed to the office. His ID was scanned so he could get into the garage. Then his retina was read so he could get onto the elevator with his pass. He looked at himself and took the bag off, putting it over his shoulder for now. He walked off on the agents' floor and calmly put the coffees down on the proper desks, making Kate gape at him. "Abby said so." He shrugged and grinned. "Do you think I should wear the bag or not?"

"Not," she said weakly.

He grinned. "Okay." He headed back down to the lab. Ducky was in there. "I like the bag but it gave me dirty thoughts."

"You're seventeen, of course it did, lad," Ducky assured him, patting him fondly. "You did that very well. Better than I did my first time." He looked him over. "Non-standard footwear but they probably do you better around here anyway." He walked off smiling and happy with Abby's experiment.

She looked him over. "The black high tops do go okay," she decided. "Come on, we've got to do some ballistics."

"Cool." He came over to help, getting lost in the work.

Kate, however, decided to call Gibbs after a few minutes' soul searching. She cleared her throat. "Your coffee's up here, boss, and Abby dressed your son. No, it's not what I'd consider being part of the dress code. No, he doesn't look too tough today. Gibbs, I'm not... I can't. Either go down there or tap into the security system to look at what she made your son wear today, Gibbs. Please? Before I have nightmares?" She hung up and sipped her coffee, grimacing. She got up and changed it for Tony's. His was okay. McGee's was her usual one so she switched them to where they should be. Then she sat down again.

***

The Director walked into the lab . "Abby?"

She looked up and smiled. "Almost done on the ballistics from the last case, boss." She went back to work. "Give me another twenty."

The director looked at Xander, then at her. "Xander?" he asked patiently. He looked over from the computer. "What are you wearing?"

"Abby said it was her grandmother's clan's tartan. She said it was okay."

The director shook his head. "No, son, it's not all right. Go change."

"All I've got is the leather that I bought during lunch. Since I don't have a locker, I couldn't bring more clothes. I even took the hunting clothes out of the car to be washed after I had to change in the club the last time."

The director moaned. "What did you buy?"

"Some very nice, soft leather pants. A mesh tank top, a few new t-shirts," Abby said, smiling at him. "He looks way hot in them."

The director sighed and nodded. "Go home, Xander. Come back tomorrow in the dress code as it was intended. You can wear black jeans if you want, or any other color, and a button-up shirt. You can wear a t-shirt under them. You may not wear another kilt or leather pants."

"They're midnight purple."

"I don't care. No leather on duty unless it's for an undercover." He walked out, going to amend the dress code policy and send around a memo.

Xander shrugged and finished what he was doing. "Sorry, Abs."

"Not a problem," she agreed happily. "Shoo, go play with the dog." He beamed and finished up then left to do that. She beamed. Her protege was coming along *just* fine.

***

Gibbs looked at his computer as his email beeped at him. He opened it and frowned. "New dress code amendments. No kilts, no mesh tank tops, no leather? Who...." Kate moaned and he looked at her. "What?"

"Your son," she said, glaring at him. "Did you not do what I told you to earlier?"

"No, I let the director and Abby handle it. Why?"

"Um, boss, when I went down there a bit ago, Abby was very proudly bragging that your son was wearing her grandmother's clan's tartan," McGee offered quietly, glancing at Tony, who was snickering on his desk. "He's been wearing a kilt all day, boss." Tony nodded, falling out of his chair. "I'm guessing here but the leather was what they did for lunch and the director caught him trying them on or something."

"Where would you find a kilt in downtown Washington DC?" he asked, looking a bit confused.

"There's a place by the British embassy," Tony giggled. "Real kilts and all." Gibbs threw something at him and he ducked. "Sorry, boss. But with how he shaves he didn't look like the manliest of men in it either. Only a little leg hair."

Gibbs shook his head and called the lab. "Quit warping my son. He doesn't need it. He's already bad enough." He hung up on her laughs and called his son. "Son, go change." His son quipped he was going through a drive-thru and then doing that, did he need anything. "No, I don't want you in this office in that kilt ever again, son. We'll be talking when I get home." He listened to his rationale and snorted. "Son, Abby does not make the dress code and I don't care if Ducky was pleased that you were wearing it correctly. No." He hung up and took his coffee cup with him when he went. "Going for more coffee."

"Sure, boss," Tony agreed happily, smirking at Kate, who just put her head down and moaned again. "Awww, did you get to see poor Xander in his kilt?" he teased.

"First," she agreed bitterly. "I had thoughts about him I didn't want to have." She lifted her head. "Sort of like what you had after you kissed that guy, Tony."

He shrugged. "The second time was better." She went pale and stuttered then fled with a hand over her mouth. He gave McGee a smug look. "You going to comment?"

"Nope. I was there when Xander kissed you that time he got exposed to pot by accident. I'd hope the boy was a good kisser with as many dates as he gets."

"Technically he's only had three boyfriends and a few times in the clubs, Probie," he taunted. "I get more than that in a month."

"Yes, but he's not the bastard you are," McGee promised. "Even if he is a slut in the making."

Gibbs turned around and walked off again. He didn't want to hear that discussion. His son was right to keep his dating habits away from him. "Where's Kate?" he called as he walked.

"Getting sick with the thoughts she had about your son, boss," Tony said cheerfully, grinning at his evil look. "She is. Just ask McGee."

"She did run off right after she admitted to having some," McGee admitted. It was finally his turn to pick on Kate. He was so happy! Tony shot him a smirk. "So, boss. How is your son's last boyfriend doing?"

"How many has he had?"

"Three."

"I've met two."

"You met the third, just not as his boyfriend," Tony assured him when he came back dragging Kate. "Brink, that nasty Rasta kid? His little brother, the geeky one."

"Oh, him. Yeah, I met him. He and Xander were talking swords one day at the house. I told him he wasn't supposed to bring people home," he said grimly.

"They weren't dating at that time, boss. He was seeing Gregor."

Gibbs rolled his eyes at that name. "My son has bad taste."

"He has odd tastes and that's not what he wants really," Kate reminded him. "He still wants Tony."

"He knows Tony's straight," Gibbs assured her, getting back to work.

"Not from what he just said," she complained.

"Remember when your son and McGeek got hit by walking into that house to talk to the kids and there was the massive cloud of bliff?" Tony asked. Gibbs groaned but nodded; he'd had paperwork to get McGee out of his drug test. "When I went to pick them up at the hospital, your son kissed me. She taunted me about that one case and I responded the second time was better. Your son learned very well at someone's knee."

Gibbs gave him a look. "It's a natural ability."

"No wonder you had three exes," McGee said, then he covered his mouth. "Sorry, boss, momentary stupidity. Won't happen again." He squeaked at the look the others shot him. "Going to go help Ducky with the autopsy. Maybe he'll use me to compare." He ran off before Gibbs could punch him.

"Well, we could dye his hair red for you, boss," Tony teased. He ducked the thrown thing this time too, grinning at him. "He's the one who said it."

"Gibbs, I wasn't sick because I had bad thoughts about your son. I was sick because I couldn't shake the picture of Tony being under some trucker out of my head," she complained.

"I only top, Kate." She gaped at him and he shrugged. "I do. I'm sorry but I like to stay on top. Every now and then I let the women get on top but I'm very much a top. No matter who might be under me I'm a top. The same as Gibbs is."

"More than I needed to know, DiNozzo. Go down to the gym and wear all the dirty thoughts out of your head for another six hours. Then get back to work. Drag McGee with you." Tony went to do that. It gave him extra time to pick on McGee. He looked at Kate. "You don't really want my son, right?"

"No!" She shuddered. "No! Eww! Gibbs, I like the kid, the same as I like Abby, he's the closest I may ever come to children. But if my child ever turns out like your son, I'm going to have him forcefully sex changed and put into a convent where they sew them shut!" she said hotly. "Your son is a menace to my mental well being!" She stomped off again.

Gibbs relaxed, happy that no one on his team was thinking about his son *that* way. It was a good thing. He was happy with that, even if his son had worn a kilt to work today.

Abby came up an hour later and handed Gibbs the furry bag Xander had originally been wearing. "He took it off," she said, smiling at him. Then she put down a picture. "See, he looks so cute!"

Gibbs looked at it then at her. "Don't do that to my son, Abby. You made Kate pout."

"Sorry." She shrugged and beamed brighter. "Every now and then a small break from reality is good for you. Otherwise you start to wonder if you're real or not. Then you get stuck in philosophy. Then you get really, really confused and start to doubt reality and what's real or isn't real and you suddenly start seeing shadowy hands of puppet masters behind everyone on Capitol Hill and then you start to really break from reality because the thoughts won't quit spinning."

"Been there?" he asked. That did explain some things to him....

"Yup, twice. That's how I know a little bitty break from reality is good for a body. Besides, he was cute!!" She took another copy of the picture out and went to find Tony and show him. "Look! I took pictures," she said, presenting it to him.

He looked at it and smiled. "He did look cute in his kilt." He tucked it into his pocket and kissed her on the cheek. "You make paperwork days interesting and fun, Abby. Don't ever change. Though you might wanna do something about the skirt. I didn't know you had Hello Kitty underwear." She blushed and ducked into the bathroom to take her skirt out of her panties. He grinned and went back to his desk, finding Gibbs leaning back in his chair for a ten minute nap. He sat down and stuck the picture in his desk with the other Xander pictures he had. Someday he could show them to Xander's kids and then he'd see what sort of payback they could give for him. And Gibbs of course.

***

Xander came back to the office after his first day of school with the dreaded note. "Not my fault. Bryon started it."

"Why?" Gibbs demanded, taking the note. He looked at it then his son. "You were put in detention for outing someone?"

"No, I got put into in-school suspension because he announced during lunch that there was no way he'd be dating me. For no reason I might add. So I reassured him that even if I looked and I might drool at him in the spandex for the swim team, that he was only a fantasy and I'd never ask him out because I wouldn't put up with his hobbies. That I already knew it wouldn't work out." His father gaped then shook his head slowly. "He started it. One of the cheerleaders apparently decided to pick on him about our manly hirsute man on the football team being gay and wanting him too. Then she expanded it to me because I'm one of, like, ten gay kids in the school. So he outed himself during lunch. I compared him to one of those posters you put on the wall to drool at while you work yourself off."

"Enough!" he ordered, holding up a hand. "Just .... don't." He handed it back, then snatched it to sign it and handed it back. "Whatever. Just don't give me more bad thoughts, okay?"

"Sure, dad." He bounced on the balls of his feet a few times. "I don't really wanna bring this up now..."

"Then don't. It's probably a good idea since you have decent instincts."

"Yeah, but the Spring Break trip this year is signing up next week and it's going to be hotly contested. Real first come, first served sort." His father gave him an amused look. "It's still in the spring."

"No."

"Aruba?"

"No, definitely not."

"But, dad!"

"What did I tell you not to do on your last one?"

"Not to sleep with half of Ireland and I didn't," he reminded him, beaming proudly. "I slept with one of the chaperones." His father burst out laughing. "Well, I did!" he defended. "He was Irish but he wasn't native anymore and I was a good boy. I only had one pint at the pub when the teacher told us to. She said it's custom in most of Europe to start drinking wine with dinner and beer after a long day much younger than we do over here."

His father gave him that same amused look. "No."

"I'll pay."

"You're going to when I paddle you," he assured him.

"But, dad. It's *Aruba*! Nice and cute things in really skimpy bathing suits. Lots and lots of sun like I got in Sunnydale and beaches. I haven't seen a beach in a while!" He gave him his best begging face. "Still fully chaperoned. I won't sleep with the chaperone this time or drink." He turned up the power of the puppy eyes. "Please, dad?"

Kate walked in. "What did you do this time?"

"Spring break sign-up starts next week and it's Aruba."

Kate moaned. "Gibbs, he'd go insane down there and hop on anything that moved."

"I'm seventeen, Kate!" he defended. "Plus I do have *some* taste. Not like I'm going to go hit on the women. They might kill me." He looked at his dad. "Please? I'll pay for it and everything."

"No, son. We'll talk about one if you graduate but not this year. Not after the problem you caused in Ireland."

"That wasn't me," he defended. "That was Tiffy, I just defended Her Sluttiness's honor when the cop tried to charge her as a whore." His father looked confused. "Didn't mean that?"

"No.... When did this happen?"

"Second night there. She kinda, um, got plenty drunk and made about three hundred bucks at the pub that night." His father looked amused again. "I told the cops that it wasn't like her. I was retrieving her for the school trip. I was even nice enough to get the chaperone. Which was how I kinda fell into bed with him for a few nights. He liked my backrubs too, dad." He grinned again. "Anyway, she wasn't arrested, we went on with our tour, and she behaved the rest of the time under penalty of me drowning her one night in her tub. Please can't I go to Aruba?"

"I said no. We'll talk about you going on a graduation excursion if you live that long. If you whine any more, I'm taking the car," he said firmly when Xander opened his mouth to beg some more.

"Then you'd have to drive me to class and get me there on time, dad. Which never seems to happen when you have to drive me."

"You could walk."

"No I can't. It's thirty miles to school from the house. I'm good, dad, but not even you can do that."

"Point," he sighed. "No, you may not go to Aruba. Your class does a senior trip before graduation and we'll see about that one."

"Yes, dad," he sighed, giving him the sad puppy look. The one dogs gave the people at the pound right before they shut the gas chamber door. His father glared. He gave him a slight grin. "I have a new teacher again this year but she ran off already."

"Why?" Kate asked patiently.

"Because she was taking over the martial arts club and the other teacher kicked her ass in practice," he said dryly. "She sulked all the way back to Langley. Oh, I heard from the boss again. He wants me back this summer as long as I've learned to control some emotional stuff so I don't leak more accidental magic."

"We'll see."

"It's paid."

"Yes, and last time they nearly got destroyed for sending you to Rome while it was spook city," he reminded him, staring him down. "Unless you want to go that way?"

"Eww! Hell no!" He shuddered. "That's just sickening." He frowned at him. "Meany! I should lock the dog in your room the next time he's stuck in the house all day." He walked over to the spare desk and sat down, pulling out his school books. "Speaking of, the electric's off at home." He pulled out his computer and turned it on, then groaned. "Damn it."

"What?" Gibbs asked patiently.

"My laptop's got that loose wire again."

"See if Abby can help you fix it," he said patiently. "If she's not busy."

"Yes, dad." He took it down there, finding Tony and McGee bugging her. "Abby, how do I fix the loose wire that's under my power button on my laptop?"

"I can show you how to do that," McGee promised, smiling at him. "How was your first day?"

"In-school suspension tomorrow because one of the quarterbacks announced during lunch that he'd never date me, even though I hadn't asked. I pointed out he wasn't my type even if he was like one of those posters you drooled on." He handed over his laptop. Then he got the tools Abby used when she took his father's PDA apart. "Okay, show me. It's more useful than physics at the moment."

"You're taking Physics?" Tony asked. "Why?"

"Physics, Calc one, sociology, history, and English Women's nastiness lit." He grimaced. "Plus naked people art."

Tony grinned at that. "You'll like naked people art. I had a lot of fun with nude figure drawings."

"They won't let us draw them. We're drawing apples and we're studying the many ways the human body has been used in art." He shrugged. "Calc one is really hard!" he complained. McGee nodded. "Help?"

"If and when I can," he promised, patting him on the back.

"Or you might do some tutoring," Tony offered. "Exchange favors?"

"No, because the last one I tutored dad thought I was sleeping with." He grimaced. "I have better taste than that too. Oooh, spring break is Aruba," he said, pouting at Tony. "Dad said I can't go."

"Your senior class is going on a trip to Cancun," he shot back, smirking at the bright and suddenly happy boy. "Not much different. Cancun's in Mexico. Aruba's an island." He came over to help them. "We're doing what?"

"Learning basic electronics. I'll teach him more as he passes Calc and we'll go over some deeper hacking stuff for Physics," McGee said, smiling at Xander, who shrugged and nodded, looking resigned. "You can do it. You're not dumb. Think of Math as a foreign language."

"I've mastered Latin and three demonic ones, McGee. Not even *they* speak math." He took out the screws and exposed the back of the laptop. "Now what?"

"Now, we find the loose wire," he said, carefully moving some out of his way. "That one's a bit worn." He went to get a new piece and the soldering iron. "Do we know how to use one of these?"

"Not yet," Xander noted. "But I'm guessing I'm learning." McGee smiled at him for that. "Sorry if you needed them, Abby."

"Not yet but after you're done, can you please run the ballistics for the two gold slugs? I'm busy doing a computer reboot and other stuff since I got hit with a virus."

"Sure." Xander got into it with McGee, listening to his careful instructions.

"What are we doing?" the director asked when he came in.

"Fixing my laptop so I can get something done," Xander said absently. "It's my reward if I learn Physics and Calc."

"Find the graphing calculator, you'll need it," Tony offered as he moved back to help Abby. "How did you get a virus?"

"I don't know but I'm going to stomp my foot here in a minute. Director, someone in Computer Services made my computer sick by forcing an update on my system."

"I'm sure you and McGee can fix it if computer services can't," he offered, smiling at her. "Does Gibbs know?"

"Not yet. He's being grumpy so I'm avoiding him."

"He's doing okay now," Xander offered. "I just got told I can't go to Aruba."

The director shook his head. "Are you going back this summer, Xander?"

"Ask Dad."

"Fine." He went to do that. "Gibbs, Abby's going to be late getting you results. Her computer has a virus and she's having to reload everything again." He groaned at that. "Is he going back this summer?" he asked more quietly. "They want him back and they're planning on what to teach him this summer. Probably more languages and more forensics."

"I'm still not happy with them after the sudden trip to Rome."

"I understand but it was good for the boy. Travel is very broadening and he has a good eye at spotting them."

"I don't care if they like it or not. I don't like it."

"Fine, I'll put him down as a you'll tell us by the holidays?"

"Did they want him then too?"

"No, I think they wanted to coopt Ducky about something going on where he used to work and wanted him to watch his mother."

"He's scarily good with her," Gibbs said dryly. "Tom, she's very scary over him. She nearly stabbed Ducky for trying to take Xander away from her the last time."

"The boy does grow on one," he agreed happily. "Just look at what we've had here." Gibbs snorted at that and shook his head. "So, it's possible?"

"Only if they don't send him out of the country without my authorization again."

"He'll be eighteen by then."

"So?"

"Point. By the way, they do know he won't ever be one of them. They're making him the prototype for agent training later on. They're using him to test the training methods. So, marital arts, languages, anything else you'd like him to learn?"

"Let him take more computers. He's good with the weapons and the bombs."

"True. Oh, let him know he passed his pop quiz the other day, all right? Even though they said he should flunk for sending it back to them, he didn't." He walked off, happier than before.

He called down to the lab. "Put me on speaker. What pop quiz, son?" His son told him all about the bomb he had found in the house and how he had disarmed it, then rearranged it and sent it back to his trainer. "Why?" he asked patiently. He nodded once. "And the fact it could've exploded if you were late? Oh, radio trigger to start the timer. No, son, I won't hurt him. I promise I won't hurt him." He hung up. "Much." He grabbed his things and headed out to talk to his son's weapons trainer. It was time someone in Langley got reminded whose son Xander was.

***

Xander came in from his first semester tired and sore. He looked at Ducky then at his helper. "I'm not going to your house tonight to help you decorate. I'm pitiful."

"Why are you pitiful, Xander?" He sat him down to look him over. The boy even looked ill. "Are you sick?"

"Tired. My finals today were my two hard ones. I haven't slept in two days."

"Go use the couch in my office, lad. I'll make sure Jethro knows you're down here." Xander nodded and went in there to nap. Ducky smiled and called him. "Jethro, your son is here and sleeping. No, he's exhausted. Said he hadn't slept in two days due to finals. He's on my couch. Come down a bit later. Of course." He looked over as the body was rolled in. "Ah, here we are. Come down for results in a little while." He hung up and moved to unzip the body and look it over. "Hmm. Very good condition. Thank you, gentlemen." He signed off, accepting custody. The agents left and he rolled the body over to a clear table, hefting him onto it with his assistant's help. "There. We'll start the checklist after he's had a bit of time to adjust to the room. Let me go scrub up." He headed to do that.

At least until the body raised off the table. "Doctor!" his assistant squeaked.

"Do shut up," the cultured voice ordered. "Now." He swung around and glared at the doctor, pulling a gun. "You as well. Over here with us. Who else is on this floor?"

"Abigail in the lab. But she shouldn't have to come in anytime soon," Ducky defended, closing his office door. "That way I can't reach the phone or the emergency button."

"Thank you. Now, come over here." They both moved where he told them. "I am at NCIS, yes?"

"Yes, you are," the assistant said. "Why did you come after Doctor Mallard?"

"I didn't. I came after someone else." He hopped off the table, hearing a noise from the office. "Who is that?"

"He's a young boy," Ducky said firmly, moving to block him. "He's asleep and he sleeps like the dead. You have no need to wake him."

"I do if he's a threat."

"He's no threat to you," he said firmly.

"We'll see. If not, perhaps he can go back to his nap." He went to look but Ducky got in his way again. "Do that again, Ducky, watch me shoot someone." He walked around him, opening the door. He was also promptly brained by something hard and solid. "No threat?" he taunted.

"No, I'm fucking tired. I had a calc and a physics final this morning. You're pissing me off by not letting me nap," Xander said, standing up and glaring at him. "By the way, you're already in deep shit. Now, back the fuck off."

"Outside with the others," he said, looking amused. Xander gave him a look. "I can and will end your promising career."

"I doubt that. The hounds of hell couldn't, what makes you think you can?"

"I have a gun. They only have fangs and claws."

"Technically, it's their drool that's acidic but also paralytic." He gave him a look. "Not happenin'." He heard the alarm start. "See?"

"Out there," he said, cocking the gun and putting it into his face. "Now." Xander snorted but pushed the gun aside. "You're brave."

"I've nearly died many times. You're a pussy compared to some of the things I used to fight. But I can guarantee you if you hurt Ducky or his assistant, you're going to die."

"Then I would go protect them. That's the only way you'll make sure of it." Xander walked out there. "Weapons, now."

"Not like I can carry to school, stupid."

"Now," he growled.

Xander gave him a look. "Again, I just came from school. We have metal detectors over here. I can't even carry in a pocket knife. Unless you count my car keys?" He held them up but snatched them back. "No way in hell you're taking my car either."

"You're a smart ass."

"With a lot of training."

"Really? I have training from Mossad. Where's yours from?"

"Sunnydale and the CIA." The man looked impressed. "That's why you won't be killing me."

"You'll find experience will win over mere training."

"And you'll find I'm an end-game fighter. I've fucking well saved the world in Sunnydale. You're a pussy. A wannabe that even some vamps are worse than. By the way, brush your teeth, man. It's disgusting." He laughed at that. "Yay." He looked at Ducky. "You okay?"

"We're fine. Calm down."

"Fuck calm. I've been up for two days." He snorted and looked at their captor again. "Name?"

"Ari."

"Ah. I've heard about you. Traitor." The man growled and pulled the gun up again. "I heard that a few times."

"I am no traitor."

"Bullshit."

"How would you know?"

"Ya know, if I was telepathic, I'd show you," he said dryly. The man went back to amused. Guards came in and he pointed the gun at them and Xander lashed out, getting him in the side like he had been taught. Then he went back to 'doing it to the vamps' like usual. The man fought, eventually losing his gun. He did get in one lucky shot, knocking Xander down, but Xander tripped him before he could reach for his gun.

"Freeze!" Gibbs ordered. "Xander?" Xander popped up and went to check on the others. "Ari Haswari," he said grimly. "Welcome to NCISs. Arrest him." The guards moved closer. Ari knocked one out and shot the other one, then pointed the gun at Ducky and his assistant. "I wouldn't."

"I will and you know I will, Gibbs. This isn't over." He shot Ducky's assistant and then at Gibbs, getting him in the shoulder before he fled.

"Dad!" Xander yelled. "Ducky, go get him! I've got this one." That got a nod. "Stitching kits?"

"You can't."

"I can so! Where?" Ducky pointed and he went to get some, bringing them back along with the phone. "This is the morgue. We've got two gunshot victims. Gibbs and Ducky's assistant. Now. Yes, right now, mother fucker!" He hung up and tossed it aside, going to do some field patching. "Come on. I've done this before," he soothed, working around the spilling blood. He got the spot secured enough to slow the bleeding then put pressure. "Sorry, it nicked a nerve and it's not going to be happy making for a few weeks but that'll keep you from bleeding to death," he explained. The guy under him was pale and shaky. "Hey, focus!" he snapped. "Stay awake. I don't know what you're allergic to. Focus on me. I'm pretty and cute. More than good enough to stare at." The man let out a small laugh then winced. "I know. Just calm down and hang on. I can hear running people." More guards came in. "Paramedics, now!" he shouted. A few went to hurry them up. "I've got him, help Lord Cranky over there." That got another laugh from under his hands. "He will be. You know how cranky dad gets when he's in the hospital. The only thing that makes him more cranky is when Tony's in there or I am." That got a nod from Ducky and his father saying something, making Ducky laugh. "Tell him I'm fine."

"He was sure you were. You were babbling, Xander. He said he'd yell later."

"Yay me." Abby ran in. "Back!" She backed off and let the paramedics in. "Thank you! I had to put in a few retaining stitches to stop the bleeding. It hit a nerve too." He let them see what he had done, getting a nod. He got up and walked over to look at his father. "You gonna live? I can follow to make sure you get home tonight."

"I'll be there anyway, Xander. You go home and rest."

"Uh-huh." He watched as they were drug out, helping Ducky up to his feet. "You'll take care of dad?" Ducky nodded. "Good. I've got to report this." He went to clean his hands, staring at the blood for a moment before doing that. Then he went to call his trainers. "It's Xander. Ari Haswari just broke into Ducky's morgue. Shot dad in the shoulder. Shot Ducky's assistant Gerald. No, I helped." He sighed. "You guys know I'm not going to go to Langley for good. Right?" He smiled at that assurance. "Then why keep trying to train me?" He listened to the reasons and nodded. "Fine. With that assurance. No, I don't want to do special assignments unless it's for dad. You clear them through him. Yeah, and he's my higher power." He nodded. "Agreed. I'll come back this summer but I want everything on this guy for Dad. Because he shot my father and I saw into his eyes. This is a game for him. His eyes looked *exactly* like Patrick's when he was in the interrogation lessons." He nodded once. "Decent enough. I'm here, I can head to the hospital. Thank you." He hung up and walked out, finding the director and Abby in there. "I had to call Herbert. He's not happy." The director gave him a look. "Tell them I want to take more field medicine stuff this summer please." He walked off, going to drive to the hospital. "I'm heading out, who's going with me?" he announced when he made it up to the main floor.

"He'd want us to work on this," McGee offered.

"I called my trainer," he assured him. Tony looked at him. "I'm heading now. One of you can come monitor things. Give updates." That got a nod and Tony pulled out his gun to do that. Xander headed for the car, finding Abby beside it. "Sure, you can go too." He unlocked it and let her in. "Don't worry, that white spot is chalk, not sperm." She giggled at that and sniffled. Tony got in to let her cry on him and they rode off together, letting Xander handle the mundane. He got there and nodded at his fellow student. "Beth."

"Xander." She kissed his cheek. Then she held up a data device. "This is for you." He took it with a nod. "What did you want to learn next summer?"

"Field medicine. I foresee it coming in handy." He shrugged. "More electronics? McGee could only go over the basics with me. More computer stuff?" She nodded. "That should be a pretty full summer then I'll intern like last time. Without the trip to Rome." She nodded and left. He walked in, putting the information file into his pocket, following Tony. "I'll have it for you tonight," he said quietly. Tony looked at him and nodded. He pulled him away. "I was staring into his eyes. For him this is a game. He's not a direct sort."

"He'll come after those around us?"

Xander nodded. "He already has."

"Point. How were your finals?" Xander grimaced. "That bad?"

"Maybe." He walked up to the desk since Ducky was arguing with the nurse. "Where is my father and when can I see him; this is his personal physician and if you block his access I will sue this place so far under hell's corridors you'll think you found snow." She looked horrified. "Now, woman!" She ran off, going to get someone for them. He looked at Ducky. "I hate women."

"I know you do, Xander. There's very good reasons for you to dislike the fairer sex. In this case, try not to damage the nurses. Or the doctors."

"I'm going to let them do their jobs but I will stay informed. That is my father." Ducky nodded. The nurse came jogging back with another one. "Well?"

"Who are you?"

"Alexander Lavelle Harris-Gibbs. Son of Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He got brought in with a shoulder wound from NCIS?"

"He's stable. We're prepping him for surgery so we can get the bullet out."

"Good. This is Doctor Mallard, his personal physician. Yes, we know he's an ME. We're goth that way," he said at her amused look. "He does it for the office."

"That's fine. We'll brief him so he can brief the others. For now, you can move up to the surgical waiting room. The other was already taken up there. Your father will be going up in a few minutes." Xander nodded. "Does anyone need to talk to him before then?"

Xander nodded. "I should. Just in case." He looked at Tony, getting a nod. So he steeled himself and headed that way, looking at his father. "That's worse than the last time, dad." His dad motioned him closer then smacked him on the head. "What?"

"Do not help."

"Tough shit. He's just like Patrick," he said more quietly. "If he wants one of the team, he'll go against those around it. He's going to try to make it hurt first and then take whoever out. I'm getting information from my trainers for Tony." He smoothed back his hair when he got a nod. "I'm also bringing his profile into the school along with my gun. By the way, I had to promise to go back next summer but I'm taking field medicine and more electronics."

Gibbs sighed. "If you must."

"Price of the information, dad."

"Fine." He gave him a small smirk. "You're carrying your gun?"

"If he's coming after the team, they're all like relatives to me. I'm the softer target in guys' like that's eyes. Besides, I kept him from shooting them by mouthing off." He yawned. "I'm about to crash too. My gun's in the car. I'm bringing it. I'll get Tony to write the note."

"Get the director. He likes you for some reason."

"He thinks I'm just as tough as you but with better fashion sense."

"Not in that kilt you wore, son." Xander smiled at that. The nurse came in. "Surgery?"

"Yuppers," Xander assured him. "Gerald's already in. I've told them to update Ducky. I may be asleep when you get out but I'll be here."

"Thanks." He let himself be moved. "Come on. You can go with me. I'm a tough old Marine. This won't knock me down for long."

"Good. It had better not." He walked up beside him, Tony and the others crowding into the same elevator. He looked at Tony. "I need a letter from you or the director authorizing me to use and carry my weapon due to a significant threat to my family."

Tony nodded. "Consider it typed as soon as I get back. Where's the information?" Xander handed over the data carrier, getting a smile. "I'll download it to McGee immediately and have him give you a headshot and profile on him."

"Thank you." He hugged him and they got off, leaving him at the 'personnel only' doors. A nurse came and walked them to the waiting room Ducky was already in. He settled down between him and Tony, resting his head on Tony's shoulder. "I've been up for two days. I hate science. Am I sure I wanna do your job?"

"Abby does the real science. We do the minor stuff," Tony reminded him. "All you have to do is pass."

"I think I did." He yawned. "I'll know in a week." He closed his eyes. "Wake me when there's information."

"Sure, kiddo." Xander drifted off and Tony took Abby's PDA, uploading the information to McGee. He typed in the stuff that Xander needed, getting a simple 'okay' back. Then he sat back to wait. Kate came in a while later with a folder. "His?"

"Profile. He's right, this is a game to him." She handed over an envelope to Ducky. "For him. Permission, a profile with headshot of him." She handed the other one to Tony. "That's what we know and what we've found, Tony."

He read through it. "He trained where?"

"Mossad," Xander said tiredly. "He said experience would always beat training. Too bad he got in a lucky shot. I went down and tripped him, that's when Dad came in."

"He was frightfully good," Ducky admitted. "And I do mean that literally, Xander. It was fairly scary."

"Ducky, no one takes out my family," he said, giving him a one-eyed look. He closed his eye again. "Any new news on either one?"

"Shouldn't be too much longer. Go back to sleep, Xander." Xander nodded and relaxed back into his nap again.

"Why is he so tired?" Kate asked.

"Finals week. He had physics and calc finals today," Tony told her. She shuddered. "He only has to pass, Kate. He knows that." He got back to work, finding what he wanted. He took the highlighter from Abby's purse and started making notes. "Focus here." He handed those sheets over. She nodded and went to call McGee to get his help and get him started. He handed something to Abby. "When we get back, do his bullets, just for the chain of evidence." She nodded at that. "Also, find out how he got in as a dead body."

"Yes, Tony." She looked over as a nurse looked their way. "Anything?" she mouthed. She got a nod. "We've got information." They all stood up, leaving Xander napping there. Tony smirked at him and shrugged. "We'll tell him in a few."

"I'll stay," Kate promised. She sat back down, watching Xander sleep in a position normally only cats achieved.

***

Xander walked into the school the next morning, showing the guard his letter. "I'm heading right to the headmistress. Escort me?" That got a nod and they scanned everything else before taking him that way. He walked in with only a tap. "My father was nearly shot," he announced. She gave him a horrified look then she saw the gun, standing up. "This is a letter from the Director of NCIS. Personally. It authorizes me to carry my weapon, and lists my proficiencies. This is the person after my family. He's a mind-fucker and he's going to come after soft targets first." He handed that over. Then he went to parade rest. "I won't use it on the jocks, but I'll be damned if he can't get into here."

"How did he shoot your father, Xander? Is he all right?"

"Shoulder wound. He was using it to escape. He was brought in as a dead body. So he's more than crafty enough to get in here."

She nodded slowly, reading it over. "Very well. Your locker?"

"To far away if he comes here. To guys like him, collateral damage is for escapes and to cause chaos and make him happy."

"Can you hide it better?"

"I can. I can actually wear my jacket until this is done with."

"Thank you." He pulled it out and put it on. "That still shows."

"I can wear a side-clip." He took off the shoulder harness and jacket, putting it on his belt instead and the harness into his backpack. She nodded that it was fine. "You'll let the others know before I'm arrested by some well-meaning teacher?"

"I will. Your self-defense...."

"My next stop. He managed a lucky shot. I need practice. It's safer if I do that here. Dad worries."

"I can see why." She smiled timidly. "You know you have a study day since you don't have a final today."

"I do. I'm happy with it and my next ones are easier. I'm going to be with the martial arts club chair all day if possible." She nodded. "With your permission, ma'am?"

"You have it, Xander," the headmistress assured him. "I hope you don't need it."

"I hope so too but there's only so many soft targets around the team. I'm the only child. Ducky's mom. His assistant was shot when dad was." He walked out, heading down there. He had gotten into Tony's system earlier this morning and gone over the profile until he had it memorized. He walked past a few of the teaches, nodding at them. "She knows. It's got a reason and I have permission. Ask the headmistress," he told another one. He walked into the history classroom, tapping quietly on the office door. "Sir."

"Xander." He looked him over. "What happened?"

"A bastard named Ari who likes soft targets," he said quietly. "He got in a lucky shot. I need work and practice."

"Agreed. I've got two finals but I've got this afternoon clear."

"Whenever. I'm clear all day."

"Good." That got a smile. "Go."

Xander nodded and headed for his locker to drop his bookbag and get what he needed for home room and then the library. He liked the library here, it was warm, inviting, and it smelled better than the one in Sunnydale. Though it was still weird not seeing weapons in the book cage. He found a corner table that gave him a view of outside and went over his notes for his next final, letting his mind work over the problem of Ari and the fight yesterday. Somewhere he had made a mistake. He had to quit doing that.

***

Xander walked into the house late that night, finding his father home. "Need me to cook?"

"I ordered." He looked his son over. "You gave her the letter?"

"I did." He gave him a gentle hug. "It'll be okay. If he comes for me I'll react. If not I won't," he assured him.

"Good. No jumping in."

"Unless it's necessary," he agreed quietly. Gibbs relaxed and nodded. "What can I do to help?"

"Do some laundry? We're out of towels."

"Sure." He went to drop his things in his room, including the gun, and came down to do that. His father gave him a long stare. "I figure we're pretty safe here and I know where your revolver is."

"Point. Thank you for knowing you're safe."

"I'm secure in that knowledge," he assured him, grinning some. "I spent all afternoon and until an hour ago with the martial arts club mentor. He was going over my fighting."

"You didn't look bad, kid. You looked okay. It was a lucky shot."

"Lucky shots still lead to deaths, dad. Luck shouldn't have anything to do in a fair fight." He went to load the wash and start it. He turned and found his father behind him. "You're quiet today."

"I'm thinking." He gave him a one-armed hug, the other being in the sling. "It wasn't a fair fight," he said quietly. "You were exhausted. He was fresh and possibly hyped on something. No way was that fair, Xander." He let him go. "Trust me to protect you too."

"You have to worry about the others. Let me worry about me."

"You're my son. They're only my team."

"Yeah, but I spent a damn long time looking out for myself, dad. I can do it this time too. I have permission to carry it to school until he's captured."

"Agreed. Your school is too easy to get into." Xander relaxed at that. It was minute but he noticed it. "Go eat."

"I grabbed a burger on the way home."

"Go eat anyway. Then tell me how the finals yesterday went." He headed back to the living room.

Xander let his dog in and grabbed a plate to pile with food, and a bowl for his father. Then he brought them out to sit next to him on the couch. "I may not pass history with as high as usual," he offered quietly. "I know it but I didn't get much studying in. I did study my ass off for physics because I'm still confused. I can recite it by rote. I don't know what I'm saying though." Gibbs nodded at that. "The same with calc."

"That's fine. We don't do much with either field and what we do use you'll learn on the job. There's probably machines to compensate for that weakness." Xander relaxed at that and dug in. "What's next semester?"

"If I pass physics, it's college level advanced chem. If I pass calc, I'm not going on." His father laughed at that. "Seriously. I'm taking Advanced Latin, which is college worthy. I'm taking the last of the Englishes I have to take. I'll take my other humanities mandatory, probably psych. It's a good thing to have for interrogations. It was suggested. Then I'll find an elective. I'm not going over twelve if I don't have to."

"Good. I like that. Your last semester should be a coast to the cap and gown. When do you have to order those?"

"Last week and I already did. Plus invitations on the off-chance that I do make it to graduation." He ate a bite. "I talked to Willow. She said the stuff out there is looking really serious. She's sent me stuff to translate for them."

"I don't want you going, Xander."

"Dad, they'll need me. From what I've seen, they've only got a few points they can stop this thing at and it's a powerful creature this time. Remember the mayor?" He groaned but nodded. "It's him. If they can't stop him in the next month, they're screwed until whenever the date of the ascension will be."

"What's an ascension?"

"Little demon turning into a bigger one."

"Oh." He ate a bite and thought. "What sort of help are we talking?"

"I'm not sure yet. This is pre-warning you that I may have to take a sudden trip back there to help them. His next step is to become invincible until he changes. If they can't stop that, then they're screwed."

"How? Can normal people do this?"

"Eat poisonous spiders as part of a magical ritual? Maybe but it's not my cuisine of choice."

"Never mind." He ate another bite of dinner, mentally cheering himself on for ordering stuff without noodles. "We'll see," he said finally. "It may not be necessary. There may be another way strategically."

"Or there may not be," Xander reminded him. "Giles doesn't think strategy. I do, you do. I do even more now because you make me. I'm thinking it might be a true battle situation to stop this."

"If so, we'll work on the plans together, son."

"Yes, dad," he sighed, looking down. Gibbs tipped his face up. "They may still need me. Not like most of the students are aware or dealing with it. They've got Faith and that's about useless at the moment."

"We'll see," he reminded him. Xander nodded, digging in again. Gibbs smiled. "What are you learning this summer?"

"Field medicine. I'm foreseeing some sort of need for it."

"Maybe," he agreed. He nudged him and gave him a small smile. "You did good on Gerald's injury. The docs said so. One told Ducky it kept him from bleeding out."

"Thank you." He smiled. "What's my reward from you if I do the impossible and pass the horrendous math and the theory shit that gives me nightmares?"

"What did you want?"

"The Cancun trip."

His father looked at him. "I said it was more likely."

"You're gonna hate it."

"Why?"

"Only four chaperones." He ate a bite and swallowed quickly at the unamused look. "I guess they figure we're mostly adults at that point so we shouldn't need one."

"Then maybe we'll take a family vacation and go together after you graduate."

"Um, dad, Cancun is one of those party cities. It's one of those places they show on MTV for spring break. It's where half the college students in America are going on their spring break."

"So there'll be drinking and a lot of drugs?" he guessed.

"That and the information packet did come with a warning that there have been some rapes noted in the area. Then again, I'm a guy so they wouldn't normally come after me and I'm not exactly the target they'd usually pick anyway. No one thinks I'm weak and helpless looking or look like a victim most of the time. Even the muggers usually leave me alone." He hiccuped and ate a bite of food. "I know it's not ideal, but Aruba's long since sold out."

"Then maybe we'll go somewhere else together."

"Oh, come on, dad! It's every young guy's dream."

His father gave him a look. "It sounds more like it's for straight guys like Tony who like the party girls."

"I was assured there were things down there I could enjoy too." He gave him an impish grin. "Or maybe I'll try being het again for a few days." He hiccuped again.

Jethro gave him a look. "Son, I don't want to fly to Mexico to identify your charred remains because you decided to sleep with a woman again." He gave his head's son a gentle shove. "Even DiNozzo won't touch the women you do. That says something, son."

"Yeah, well...." He shrugged and blushed a bit, giving him a sideways grin. "At least you know who the dangerous women are."

"I do. Anything else we should discuss?"

"Scuttlebutt I heard said that Morrow might be moving departments."

"Interesting. To?"

"Homeland." He finished his plate and plucked some of his father's out to nibble on. "I heard he got offered; I haven't heard he's taken it up yet."

"It would do his career good," Gibbs agreed. "Still a sucky move. Who'd they get? Not me, right?"

"No, I haven't even heard rumors. It's a political appointment."

"Oh, yay," he said flatly. "Thank you for the warning, son." He gave him another one armed hug and let him have the rest of his snack. "So what did you want for the reward this time?"

"Cancun." He gave him puppy eyes. "Please?"

"We'll see. If not?"

"I don't know. I've spent so much time trying not to tank my grades this semester I haven't even had time to think, much less get regular sleep. I could use the vacation."

"Then we'll see if we can find you one, son." He patted him on the back, letting him rest against him. "Why don't you nap so you won't flunk your history exam tomorrow." Xander sighed but went up to his room. Gibbs considered it then called Tony. "What are the main problems with Cancun? He said I might not like it." He listened to him go on and on about how great Cancun was and why. "My son doesn't need bikinis, DiNozzo. What else?" He heard the laugh and got the other side of Cancun explained to him. "He said there's only four chaperones going." He smirked at that. "Again, not really his reason for going. Slutty girls are nice but not my son's thing." Tony laughed again and said something else. "That's more his speed. Though I'm not sure I like the idea of orgies." He sighed. "My son's only seventeen, DiNozzo." His second-in-command gave him a lot of information he had been ignoring. "Point. Think he can wear his kilt down there?" Tony's shocked silence and then hysterical laugh made him smile. "No, we're home. Thank you." He hung up and looked up the stairs. His son needed something better than a sexhole like that. Even though he did understand the allure of them. He had visited a few places like that when he was on active duty.

***

Xander trudged in and glared at his father. "I hate you."

"Why?"

"Because the headmistress said I have to send in the college applications this week."

"Why?"

"Because they're due next week. Weren't you supposed to remind me of this stuff?"

"You're going local."

"Why?" Xander asked.

"So you can't get into any more trouble," McGee reminded him. "That way we can pop around and do inspections of your dorm room and things."

"Am I living in the dorm?" Xander asked his father.

"That we'll talk about. It's an important step in college but I'd rather have you at home."

"Four more years of me, dad. Or possibly five."

"I can handle it."

"That's wonderful. Oh." He pulled out a picture and handed it over. "Do we know her?"

Gibbs looked then shook his head. He could see what his son did, the girl looked almost exactly like him. Like both of them really. "Not a clue," he admitted, handing it back. "Want to do a background on her?" He handed one over. "Where did you find her?"

"The mall. So we chatted and I took a picture with my camera phone, told her it'd pop up when she called me. She thought it was cute." He shrugged. "Know her mother, dad?"

He looked then nodded. "I do but I never slept with her. I know both her parents casually through my Reserve unit." He shrugged. "Not a clue, son. One of those mysteries of life."

"As long as you're sure." He put the picture and paper back into his backpack. "Where was I applying?"

"Georgetown," Tony reminded him. "American. One of the Virginia state schools that's got a branch here." He printed off something and handed it over. "Here." Xander smiled as he took it. "Least I could do, mini-Gibbs." He got back to work. "Anything on your side about Ari?"

"Yes. There's someone coming to talk to us from his former people." He looked at his father. "There's someone from Mossad coming, dad."

"Interesting. When?"

"Within a week."

"We know who yet?"

"Nope. No clue yet. Lower level but with contacts was what Beth said."

"Which one was Beth?"

"The honey-blonde who hit on you and said you'd make a good leather daddy."

"Oh, her." Kate snickered at that. "He trains with her, Agent Todd."

"That explains it all," she agreed. "Gonna wear the kilt again?"

He smirked at her, a very evil smirk. "Why, Kate? Are you still dreaming about me wearing one and peeking to see if I wore it properly?" He walked over to look at her. "Or did you want to pet the bag?" She blushed and he smirked. "I can tell you I wore it traditionally that day and any time since then that I've worn it." She blushed brighter. "Any other fantasies you've got? You know you can share them." She slapped at him and stomped off. "It's not my fault you want me even though I'm gay." His father gave him a look and he went to sit at his usual desk and get to work on his homework. "Oh, I'm skipping Monday."

"Why?"

"It's an award ceremony and I'm skipping it."

Tony laughed. "Should I go pick his up for him too, boss?" he teased.

Xander looked over at him. "Considering half my school wants in your BVD's? Go right ahead, make their year." Tony blushed at that. "Hell, half the SCA wants to bring you to our next event so you can wear the tights." He smirked and got back to work. "Oh, schedules are out. Advanced Chem and Advanced Latin, art elective so I can stare at more naked men, homosexual art this time, and Science Fiction Lit are what I signed up for."

"That means report cards are out," Gibbs said knowingly. "Give. Now, son." Xander pulled it out and flung it frisbee-style at him. He caught it by leaning over and opened it. "You didn't want to know?"

"That I failed Calc and have to retake it? Or physics? Hell no!"

Gibbs opened it and read it over slowly. A in Calc One, B in Physics. C in History. A in English Feminist Lit. A in Art. He looked at the marks then nodded. "I still don't like Cancun." Xander gave him an awed look. "You're right, your exhaustion did affect your history score."

"I knew I flunked it. I fell asleep during it." He got up to look. Then he did the snoopy dance there. "I passed!" he shouted. "I passed, I never have to take calculus again!"

McGee laughed and snatched them, nodding. "Good job. Here, Tony." He handed them over.

Tony looked then smiled. "Good job, Xander." Xander preened under that praise. They all knew the kid had a crush on him and his opinion meant more than his father's now and then. "Should you retake the history?"

"Nope." He took it back and blew a kiss. "I should fucking well pin this to the fridge."

"No swearing," Kate yelled.

"I passed Calc and Physics. With *good* grades." She came back out and snatched them so he gave her a 'bored now' look. She gaped. "I recited it by rote." She snorted and handed it back. "Oh, dad, SAT was when?"

"This weekend."

"Yay." He went to tell Ducky and Abby, getting squeals and hugs from Ducky and Abby tearing up and crying on him for being so good.


***

Gibbs came home and found his son staring at an envelope a few months later. "What's that?"

"Evil."

"Is it from Willow and them?" He looked at it. "SAT scores." He opened it with his keys and pulled them out, then gave his son a pat on the head. "Higher than Kate's, I'm impressed." Xander snatched them to read. Then he whooped and hugged him. "Thank you. What did I do to deserve that?"

"You're not making babies with She Who Barks and I can get into Georgetown or any of my choices." He beamed. "They said I only needed my scores. I looked good otherwise. I should be hearing 'please come to join us' soon from at least one school." He sat down and called Tony. "I got a 1569!" he bragged. "Yes, SAT scores. Tell your date then, Tony. Not like I care if you brag." He smiled. "Sure." He hung up. "Tony said we're having ice cream tomorrow to celebrate."

"If we must." He gave his son a tolerant smile. "Want to order or want me to cook? If you want real food, go empty the trunk while I shower." Xander shrugged and went to do that. Gibbs smirked and went to call the others. Once he was back in the kitchen he looked at his son. "Jen called?"

"Yup, she's back in town for some reason. She wanted to know if you were free for dinner. I told her you were really fucking expensive and she wasn't worthy to blow you since she had turned her buddies onto me." He got to work on some veggies. His father took them and put them up. "They still need washed."

"I was going to peel them and fry them for dinner tomorrow, Xander." He gave him a small glare. "Were you rude?"

"Yup. I like the training but they do stress you out and they keep trying to get me to do stupid shit."

"Such as?" he asked plainly.

"Oh, they wanted to know if I could go to Japan with them this holiday."

"No."

"Can I go to Rio? For Carnivale?"

His father wobbled on that. "Only if you're escorted."

"Can I ask Tony?"

"If you want. Though I'm sure he won't do anything more than watch over you."

"Yeah, but McGee would stare in bad ways at the semi-naked people and Kate would fuss and hand out literature on finding God."

"Point," he agreed. "You can ask Abby or Ducky, either one. I know I'll be busy that week. We've got trials all that week but not one I think DiNozzo was on."

"Really?"

"Really. Just be careful." Xander hugged him and squealed, going to email Tony. That way he wouldn't interrupt his date and get complained at again. He also emailed Abby and Ducky at the same time telling them that his father had wanted him escorted by some reasonable person, namely them by name. So to tell him so he could book rooms this week. Then he danced back to the kitchen. "I emailed them."

"Good. You'll have to book soon."

"I was planning on doing it this week."

"Good." He smiled at him. "Very good, son." He patted him on the cheek. "I'm proud." Xander preened at that. "Set the table and tell me if you want steak or chicken."

"Either's good as long as it's not Spam."

"No, not Spam." He decided on steaks and went to start the grill. He deserved the best for that.

***

Tony opened up his email and smiled. He looked over at Xander, who was in on a scheduled day off. "I'll go," he agreed quietly.

"Ducky said he couldn't but Abby wants to go too. Would that bother you?"

"Not in the least. Just don't lose me on purpose this time."

"Sure." He grinned. "I'll make reservations tonight. Dad said something about trials...."

"None for me that week so far," he said happily, watching the kid make the reservations. He got them emailed and nodded. "Not the best place but it'll do." He sent them to Abby, getting a happy squeal back. She had audio recorded it. "She's excited."

"She's seen Mardi Gras. This is the granddaddy of that one," Gibbs reminded him from his seat. "Do I get a copy?" His son sent them to him. "That works for me. It's not the best place but it's not a slum hostel either. You will behave for Tony, son."

"Yes, dad. I'll be good and I won't lose him on purpose like I did in Rome. I won't drink too much. Nothing like that."

"Thank you. Try not to sleep around too much either."

"Yes, dad." He looked over as the director came down the stairs with someone, coughing loudly. His father looked and sighed. "Director," he said, smiling and handing over his SAT scores. "For the records my trainers wanted you to keep."

He looked and nodded. "Very well done, Xander. I'm proud."

"Thank you, Director."

"You've done well. Where are you going?"

"I'm thinking Georgetown. I'm waiting to hear back."

"It's an excellent school. I do know tuition reimbursement was part of that deal if you went back for another summer of training during your schooling." Gibbs looked at him. "It is."

"We'll see."

"Just like Cancun," Xander quipped. His father smirked at that. "Please? It is the senior class trip."

"We'll see. Director, is there a problem?"

"I wanted to tell you this first since you're my alpha team. I'm leaving to go to Homeland. I believe some of you know my replacement?" He pointed at Jen Sheppard beside him.

"Jen," Gibbs said dryly. "You?" She nodded. "I had hopes it'd be my son but oh well." He looked at his computer again. "Guys, this is the new director."

"Gee, guess you won't be coming over for dinner anymore," Xander said. She gave him an evil look. "That violates the 'no sex and no dating in the workplace' rule, rule twelve I think it was." She gave him an even more evil look. "It does."

"It does," Gibbs agreed. "I believe in no fraternization for everyone but DiNozzo. He's dated too many for it to matter anymore."

"Gee, thanks, boss," he said dryly. "Director, when are you leaving? Should we plan a going away party?"

"No, that's not necessary. I'll be transferring over at the end of this month."

"Does that mean I should call her or you when things crop up like the bastard?" Xander asked as he typed something. He sent it to McGee. "Spelling mistakes, McGee. Tony, doing yours."

"You're doing what?" Jen demanded.

"Proofreading. They're too busy to do that and I'm off today. Therefore I'm being useful." He looked at her. "I think you've probably been told that I passed a background by now." He went back to typing into Tony's document. Tony never checked it but his father would. He finished up and sent it back, making Tony look over at him. "Just a few corrections."

"I remember the last one." He opened it and read through it, bursting out laughing. "No, you may not join the parade, Mini-Gibbs." He deleted that sentence and worked on it. "Thanks."

"Welcome. I thought Dad could use some levity." He looked at the director again. "You or her, sir?"

"Me, son. If it's something like that and you can't get your trainer, you call me."

"Yes, sir."

"Good boy." He patted him on the head. "Do we have copies of that?"

"That is your copy."

"Even better." He took it with him while he showed her around. "Xander's been quite a bonus to us, Jen. He's determined to join his father's team some year."

"So that's what you meant last night," Gibbs said quietly, looking at his son, who nodded. "You knew when?"

"Last night. Right before you got home. Pierre called to see what sort of field med I wanted to take, surgery or not. I said not. Just the basics and advanced 'in case we're stuck behind enemy lines and need a medic' ones." He shrugged. "Sorry, dad. They wanted you to be surprised. I hinted."

"You did hint," he agreed. "Never happen anyway, son." He got back to work. "Did you email those to Willow?"

"I did. She got two points off perfect."

"Of course she did. She's like McGeek there, a super brain," Tony said dryly. "You beat mine and Kate's. Nearly combined since hers was so low."

"My what?" Kate demanded.

"SAT score."

"I got 1038."

"Xander got a 1569," Tony said proudly.

"Good job," she praised. "What was yours, Tony?"

"Higher than yours," he said dryly.

"He got a 1400," Gibbs said while he typed. "Back to work. I want to find that bastard."

"He's not in the city," Xander said quietly. "They're making feints that he'll be back soon."

"Interesting. Can you tell your sources to tell me directly?" Gibbs asked.

Xander came over and typed in an address, getting him into the student's chat room. He even logged Gibbs in under his own name and typed in a question about Ari, telling them his dad needed to know. Plus bragging about his SAT score. He went back to proofing reports, sending one to Kate. "Just one spelling mistake and I put it in purple for you, Kate."

"Thank you." She found it and corrected it then sent it to Gibbs, looking clueless when he burst out laughing after reading it. "What? Did he miss one?"

"Um, yes," Gibbs said, smirking at her. "I didn't know you knew how to dance the Dance of the Seven Veils and had done it for the Prime Minister when we guarded him, Agent Todd." He sent it back and looked at his son. "You're bad."

"You needed some levity. Tony's falling down on jokes today."

"I had a good and soothing night," he said smugly.

"I can tell. Her lipstick's still behind your ear. You really should scrub those daily, Tony." He went to look and clean it off. Xander shook his head, giving his back a fond look, but he got back to work on the other reports. McGee's stare made him look over. "What?" he asked quietly.

"It doesn't bother you to see him date?"

"Nope. It's women and I'm fine with it. I may have a crush but I'm not paranoid, delusional, or that possessive until they're mine." He got back to work, sending one to his father. "Yours." He looked it over and got hit with a paper ball. "What?" he asked innocently. "You're the one who ended up shirtless. For a change." Kate blushed at that. "Did I mention you? Half the time it's Tony."

"I was in the middle of a fight and the guy ripped it."

"I put that in there."

"Uh-huh." He went back to reading it, looking at the chat room. He had gotten what he needed and had asked questions about his son, figuring he had opened up to them where he hadn't him.

"Hey, Dad, can I go to the Jimmy Buffet concert tonight?"

"Take someone with you, son."

"I'll go," McGee said happily. Xander smiled and nodded. "When?"

"Eight. Downtown. I've got tickets but Chris wouldn't go with me."

"Which one is he?" Kate asked.

"My lesbian buddy who helps me with my clothes."

"Oh. Never mind."

"She thinks you're cute," Xander offered. "Then again, she said if dad ever wanted to go femme, she'd take him. She thinks he's hotter than even that new trampy supermodel."

"Never happen, son. I'd never go femme for anyone."

"I know but if you do she wanted to be kept in mind."

"Sure. Is she the one you were chopping wood with?" He looked over and his son nodded. "She's pretty tough. She thinking about the service?"

"She is and she wanted to know if you'd talk to her about the Corps. Her dad's an Army guy and she's decided they're wimpier than the Marines." Gibbs smirked at that. "So she wanted at least a chat with you."

"Sure. Bring her over this weekend if we're off." Xander nodded, typing that to her, getting back a squeal from her then a cough and an apology for the girlish nature of the last email. He grinned and sent back a 'even I have those' making her laugh. Then he got back to work, sending another one to his father.

***
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